The Ties Of Friendship
by Cassie Lupus
Summary: Aurora has no friends, her past a mystery, her future horrific. But she will have to learn to believe in the ties of friendship, before she is consumed by evil. But when her loyality is put to the test, can she save her new friends and herself?
1. A Bad Arrival

**Yami Casie**: Cassie and me don't own YuGiOh, but Aurora Samaki is our own creation.  
  
**Dedicated to:** My friends, my family and especially Joey Wheeler and Yami Yugi.....but not nessarily in that order -.

* * *

Aurora Samaki stepped out of the coach. Grumbling about the kid behind her that had stuck chewing gum in her hair. She searched through her bag and drew a map out. On the map 'Domino City' was written in bold black letters. Aurora decided to go make a nuisance of herself and stepped up towards the infomation kiosk.  
  
"Hi, can you please tell me where I am, I'm kinda lost." She smiled innocently at the woman at the desk.  
  
"Your in Domino City." The woman replied, smiling back.  
  
"Oh, home to the world class duelists."   
  
Without a thanks or even a goodbye, Aurora stepped down towards a street of rowdy teenagers, exiting the coach station.  
  
"Move it!" she snapped at a small 13 year old, who reluctantly moved even though he wasn't in her way at all.  
  
Aurora's white hair caught the afternoon sunlight, making it shine and glisten. She looked up at the sky with her blue eye's. Her eye's were chilling, as if they had seen great things and held deep secrets within them.  
  
After grabbing a Snapple juice carton out her bag, Aurora sat beneath a shady tree in the park and began to hum to herself as she watched two children playing.  
  
Why had she chosen Domino City? It was as if she could feel a presence in it she couldn't describe. She knew her mum would be worried far away in Kyoto. Her sudden dissapearance would cause arguements about her custody and she knew deep down that sneeking away only delayed the truth she would eventually have to face.  
  
Three boys and two girls started towards Aurora and the tree, but they stopped when they noticed Aurora settled on the lush green grass. Aurora knew only too well she was in a seat of another. It made her feel big that she, who had only just arrived five minutes ago, was regarded superior to the residents there.   
  
She regretted thinking that as one of the boys, a blonde, made his way over to her.  
  
"We sit 'ere, your gonna 'ave ta move."   
  
Aurora sipped the last of her Snapple and threw the empty carton at the boy's feet.  
  
"Make me, hound!" she barked, her icey blue eye's narrowing dangerously.  
  
She guessed she must of touched a nerve with that 'hound' comment.   
  
"What did ya call me?" The blonde grabbed her collar but dropped her again. She banged her head hard against the tree trunk. Her hand instictively moved to her head while the other flailed for the boys face uselessly.  
  
"Your a girl!" The boy said suprised. Aurora looked down at her loose top and blue trousers, she guessed they made her look boyish.  
  
Aurora scoffed loudly and checked to see if her head was was bleeding.  
  
"I never noticed," she replied, stiffly.  
  
The boy looked sheepish and scratced the back of his neck. Got fleas, mate? Aurora asked mentally.  
  
"I'm Joey," he said, as if she cared, "Joey Wheeler." Aurora scowled as the rest of his friends gathered round.  
  
"I'm Aurora Samaki," she replied, emotionlessly.  
  
"Look I'm real sorry about before. I didn't relise you were a girl, your top, it kinda covers ya up a bit. Makes ya look like your got nothing dere. I never would 'it a girl." Aurora chuckled for a second before she relised what Joey had implied.  
  
"Oh, do you think that because I'm a girl I can't fight like a man?" Aurora asked, her fists balled. She stood up and faced Joey so he was near enough to smell her purfume. There had to be only two inches between them but Joey was slightly taller, it seemed Aurora was starting to shadow him though.  
  
Her angry expression and white gleaming hair reminded Joey faintly of someone.  
  
"Do ya know a boy called Bakura or Ryou? You look a lot like 'im." Within seconds of saying this Joey knew he had insulted Aurora. He stumbled backwards as Aurora lashed out at him. Joey backed up and his two friends on either side of him, a boy with brown hair and a blonde girl, closed the gap.  
  
"He just asked you a question, he didn't mean to insult you!" the boy said.  
  
"Yeah, he didn't mean to shatter your fragile demeanour!" the blonde girl snapped. Aurora stapped forward, kicking the carton at the girl.   
  
"I don't find being called a boy exactly a complement."   
  
"Well, from the way you dress and your hair what did you expect? Pretty flowers and little hearts? I'm sorry hun, but that outfit is an insult to girls more than it is to you!"   
  
Aurora sneered, baring her teeth like a dog.   
  
She pushed past a short boy with tri-coloured hair and sat alone on a bench. Tears began to leak out her eye's. She crossed her legs and ducked her head as she started to sniffle. The blonde girl and a brunette came over and sat beside her.  
  
"Whats wrong?" the brunette asked. Aurora wiped her eye's and said:  
  
"I came here to escape it; to escape the pain. But it's not working, I thought running away might help. Prove to them that I am strong enough to fend for myself. I am, really, but it's wrong, all wrong."   
  
"What is? Escape what?" the brunette asked, she took Aurora's hand but Aurora pulled away.  
  
"I can't." she whispered, "I only bring pain to those I love and care for." Aurora stood up and brushed past Joey, she stopped just after she passed him.  
  
"Catch ya later, Joey." her tear filled face now gone, she winked at him and kept walking.   
  
She kept to the path as a group of boys started heading her way. She expected them to part, but they didn't. One brushed close near her side and she felt a tension on her leg lift. She turned to see the boy running, with something oddly familier in his hand.  
  
"Oi!" she shouted after him, she ran back to the group, "That boy stole my deck!"   
  
"What?" Joey stuttered, racing after the boy, followed by Mai. Joey quickly caught the boy and backed him up against the wall.  
  
"Give Aurora 'er deck back or I'll knock your block off kid!" The boy, who had brown hair, smiled confused.  
  
"What are you talking about? I didn't steal anything!" Aurora caught up and stood next to Joey.  
  
"Where's my deck? I saw you run off with it." Suddenly, after a shaking by Joey, a card fell from the boys pocket.  
  
"Woodland Reaper." Aurora gasped, a elf looking creature dressed in green stood out like a sore thumb from the card, "Thats mine, where is the rest of my deck then?" Joey dug in the boy's pocket and passed Aurora the cards, Aurora shuffled through them quick, couting them.  
  
"There's only 38 here, where's my other two? Tempus Bane, my magic card?" the boy dug in his pocket and drew one more card.  
  
"And I am still missing one."   
  
"Did ya count Woodland Reaper, stupid?" the boy asked, rolling his eye's, Aurora blushed.  
  
"Oh yeah, whats your name kid?"  
  
"Jack." Jack said bluntly. Aurora stepped back as she counted her cards again. Joey let the boy go and turned to Aurora.  
  
Wordlessly, Aurora turned away, and walked down the path again.  
  
"Your welcome." Joey snapped.

* * *

Aurora sat at the bottom of the dirty B&B bed, its once white covers now greying and frayed at the edges. She was in a crouching position, her head buried in her knees. A newspaper was sprawled before her, its front page bearly visable in the dimmed light. The front page said: Duelist girl dissapears from home. The door handle rattled and Aurora slipped herself under the bed quickly as the paint chipped door creaked open.  
  
"Hello?" a voice called, Aurora looked out from under the bed and gasped, she got up and brushed herself off.  
  
"Your-your me!" The girl looked identical to Aurora. Who sat back down on the bed in shock. The other girl sat next to Aurora and pulled back the girls white hair from her face. Aurora gasped slightly, the feeling reminded her of her fathers rough hands.  
  
"I'm your soul, your pure innocent soul."   
  
"You can't be, I-I'm not innocent, I don't really look like this inside.....do I?"

* * *

Aurora woke quickly, sweating, her hand laid over the bed, the rest of her was on the floor. The dream lingered for a second, the memory of her soul so fresh in her mind. It had burnt a hole in her heart, a deep hole. Her soul was gone, her innocent soul. In that hole was goodness, now, all that was left was evil, heartless evil.   
  
Aurora felt her cheek where her soul had touched her gently. She looked in the mirror, the cheek burnt hard. On her cheek was a clean fresh cut, blood dripped down her pale china like face. She wiped the drip away as it was replaced by tears.  
  
"Who am I?" she whispered, burying her head in her knees as she had in her dream, "Why do you want me?" Her last words echoed around the room, and finally died as she pursed her lips and wiped her fresh tear's away. 


	2. Road rage?

Aurora felt the cold wind whipping round her and pulled her coat close. But the coat was useless against the blowing wind. She watched as many school kids passed her, screaming in the wind. She kept her eye out for Yugi and the gang but she guessed they must of taken the bus on a day like this.  
  
Suddenly, something heavy collided with the back of her legs, she fell to her knees, letting out a short, sharp scream. She turned to the person that was intwined with her. She gave him a rough shove and pushed herself up.  
  
"What the hell are you doing, kid? If your trying to murder me an knife will work just fine!" The boy was short and had black hair. She took pity on him, being a sucker for small kids, she helped him up.  
  
"S-sorry, I'm Mokuba Kaiba." She looked him up and down and sighed.  
  
"Sure, whatever kid, just get to school."  
  
"Can I walk with you?" The black headed boy called Mokuba asked politely.  
  
"Do I look like I wanna be pestered by kids? Do i look like a nanny? No, kid, so scat!"   
  
"You sure are snappy. Your like a crocodile." Aurora turned on him, a fist raised.  
  
"Thats cool kid," she said, breaking into a smile and lowering her hand, "I have been called a lot of names, but never a crocodile. Suits me, ah?" Mokuba broke into a smile too, Aurora smiled warmly for the first time ever.  
  
"You look real pretty when you smile." Aurora laughed, she was suprised Mokuba had taken a shine to her.  
  
"Thanks kid, I'm Aurora Samaki." she took his hand so he didn't fall in the wind again, "Don't you have anyone to walk to school with?"  
  
"My brother said he was going to school late today, so I had to walk to school on my own."  
  
"Really? Your brother let you in this weather?"  
  
"Not really, he sent someone to walk with me but I ran off. I don't like being seen with someone too much older than me."  
  
"Well, the problem is kid, I'm not going that way. I kinda don't live around here." Aurora said truthfully, her face red from the wind, "Hey, isn't that Joey?" she asked, a blonde boy was infront, mucking around in the wind.  
  
"You know Joey?" Aurora didn't reply and called after Joey, Yugi, Teá and Tristan. They turned, smiling confused when they saw Mokuba and Aurora.  
  
"Hey guys, can you take Mokuba to school, I am kinda.... wrapped up." Teá frowned.  
  
"But don't you go to school too?"   
  
"Nah, here, take the squirt!" she passed Mokuba's hand to thin air and let it drop. Without a goodbye she turned and ran to a shop, there was the daily newspaper out front. She gasped at the cover: 'Duelist girl dissapears from home.'   
  
The artical was about HER, about how her parents had split, about the trouble's they had at home, about her twin brothers, about her life, her past......  
  
Aurora dropped the paper, its pages came apart and blew down the street, as if they were running after each other. She watched them dance in the wind for a minute before walking past an antiques shop, she turned and looked dullfully into the window. Through her tears she could see a china cat, a silver spoon, and a necklace. None of them made her feel better, she felt her deck inside her pocket. The deck her late great grandfather had given her.  
  
'They'll help you to the end, my dear' he had said as he placed the deck in her hand gently. He had passed away during that night, supposedly whispering about Aurora, and about her past. If only she had said goodbye one last time..... if only she could. She had turned wordlessly away from the bed and had left the room, the ward, the hospital and Kyoto itself. Her deck was new to her, the feeling of something powerful was new to her. Every since she had recieved her deck she had felt something mysterious.  
  
'But be warned, my gift may give you power, but if you lose your heart, Aurora, my dear, you will lose your soul alone with it.' he had held her head softly, whispering to her in his croky voice. With his last breath's he had made her promise something, 'Never let that happen, Aurora, NEVER lose your soul, because once's it's gone, it has gone.' Aurora hadn't understood his last words, they were too complex for her.  
  
She ran her fingers over the old window of the antique shop and blew the dust off them. Smiling sadly, she left, her hands in her pockets. She was low on money, her credit card was at the B&B where she had spent the night. She wondered what she was going to do now, she needed money to survive, and in order to get money she needed a job. Many shops would of imployed her, if only they hadn't sold the newspaper. Her face would be instantly reconisable.  
  
"Do you wanna move or are you going stand in the road all day?" Aurora was only faintly aware of her position in the middle of the road. A boy with brown hair occupied the car that was honking at her.  
  
"Maybe I'll just stay here with that kind of attidute." She snapped at him. The boy sighed.  
  
"Are you aware of how many laws your breaking right now? Your putting yourself and myself in danger, not to mention millions of-"   
  
"You do like to ramble don't cha? If you weren't gonna run me over your gonna bore me to death!" Aurora said, sneering at the man.  
  
"Look, I'm Seto Kaiba, CEO of-"  
  
"I don't care if your Bob the builder, no one asks me to move like that." Seto looked behind him, there was no other cars on the road except for his.  
  
"I need to get to school, stop causing trouble and move idiot, this isn't funny!" Aurora laughed almost evilly.  
  
"Oh, I think it is. Untill you ask nicely Mr Kaiba, I ain't moving from this road!" Seto shut his eye's, as if trying to gather his patience, it wasn't working. He opened the car door and stepped out, coming face-to-face with Aurora. He was by far a lot taller than her, but her icey stare compared to his.   
  
"Say please and I'll move." Aurora said, many people had stopped to watch how the CEO of KaibaCorp would take this treatment.  
  
"I don't even get this much trouble from the mutt!" Seto grumbled, "Listen, I don't know what you have in there for brains, but move!"   
  
"Well, I hope you kept the reciept for your brain, Mr Big CEO, because your obvoisly ain't working properly. Or is it your ears." She leaned towards him, Seto honestly believed she was going to kiss him but her face settled next to his ear.  
  
"BE POLITE AND ASK NICELY!" She shouted, Seto stumbled for a minute but regained his footing, his ear throbbing.  
  
"What was that for?"   
  
"Oh, I thought you were hard of hearing," Seto's blue eye's narrowed.   
  
"Listen, as many people will tell you I don't take kindly to people who shout in my ear and backchat!"   
  
"Oh, I'm scared, what you gonna do, Mr CEO? Send your cronies after me?"  
  
"I know your new in town, so I'll try and explain carefully, people respect me here, now MOVE!" Aurora, giving Seto the cold shoulder, blanked him and looked down at her nails, humming. Seto's eye's narrowed even futher so now they were just little slits. He lent over to her ear and shouted:  
  
"RESPECT YOUR ELDERS!" Aurora stumbled backwards, Seto won the noisest CEO of the year competition.   
  
"Your only two years older than me!" Aurora replied, coldly, the wind whipping her white hair back.  
  
"I'm still older, now move before I call the police." Aurora rolled her eye's, but, if the police found her they would take her back to Kyoto so, having no other option she stepped back onto the pavement and Kaiba got back into his car. She shot him an evil glare as he drove past, he ignored her and kept driving.  
  
"Stupid kid, now I'm quarter-of-an-hour late."

* * *

Yugi looked down at the maths problem carefully, it was easy, but his mind was on other things.   
  
"Oi, Yug', What one you on?" Joey whispered.  
  
"Erm, number 11." Yugi whispered back to his friend.   
  
"Good, whats da answer to number 10?"  
  
"You'll never learn that way, Joey." Teá said, annoyed. Her desk was in between Joey and Yugi's.  
  
"You mean the 5x 3= 2x 15 one?" Yugi whispered, ignoring Teá.  
  
"Yes!" Joey said, a little louder than intented.  
  
"The answer is x equals 4." Joey gave Yugi a thumbs up and scribbled the answer down.   
  
"He's never gonna learn that way, Yugi." Teá said, frustrated that friend had blanked her.  
  
"I know Teá, but he done the rest okay." Yugi replied, Teá looked at Joey's answer's and compaired them to her's, then Yugi's.  
  
"I suppose, but it's still wrong." Yugi shrugged off the fact and turned back to the the math's equation problem he had been trying to solve. He couldn't help his mind slipping back to Aurora though, the way she had reacted in the park yesterday, she had just burst into tears. She was hiding something, something big. Nothing unatural, like the secrets he held, something natural, something so shockingly natural. Yugi couldn't imagine it, the pain she was talking about must be horrendeous. Her mask was a hard, tough like shell. But he knew, from the way she had reacted with Mokuba that morning, her inside was soft, like Joey. But she held a secret that Yugi would persuade her to tell, friends were worth it.   
  
Yugi took a sidewards glance at Joey as the bell went. Thankfully, they packed up quickly and left for lunch. The wind was still strong.  
  
Yugi noticed Seto Kaiba at a table, Mokuba was coming over to him.  
  
"It's okay, big brother, Aurora took me to school." Seto looked up from his tranced state.  
  
"Aurora? I have never heard of her. Is she new?"   
  
"No, she doesn't go to this school. She reminds me of Ryou, she has white hair and icey blue eye's." Seto's eye's widened..... the girl in the road.  
  
"Mokuba, she's a trouble maker, thats why I was late to school today. She just stood there in the road arguing about how I should be polite and stuff to her." Joey overheard and turned to Seto.  
  
"What did ya do ta Aurora? She's a nice girl, lacking in da manners department, but friendly none the less."   
  
"I ran her over." Seto smiled, waiting for Joey's reaction.  
  
"YOU DID WHAT?" Joey asked, as he was restrained by Tristan and Teá.  
  
"He's playing with your mind, Joe, he didn't run her over!" Tristan said.   
  
"Need a leash and collar don't cha, Wheeler?" Seto said, suddenly, a tapping at the window was heard. Seto turned to see Aurora tapping at the window, waving franticly. Her waving was followed by a quick, and rude, gesture with her fingers at Seto and more tapping on the window.   
  
"Speak of the devil!" Seto said, sneering at the white headed girl.  
  
He strode over and opened it, the wind hitting his face.   
  
"Go away!" Seto said, bitterly. She sneered at him.  
  
"You are everywhere I go." Yugi came to the window.  
  
"What's wrong Aurora?" Aurora frowned, then blushed.  
  
"Do I know you? Oh, you were in the park yesterday, can I talk to Joey?" Yugi looked around for his friend, but spotted a teacher coming.  
  
"Er, gotta go Aurora, wait for us after school." He shut then window, the flung it open again.  
  
"At 3 o'clo- Where are you?" Yugi looked down, on the grass was an angry looking Aurora, a bump appearing on her head. When he had flung the window open it had hit her square on the forehead. "Oops, sorry, bye."Yugi muttered quickly and shut the window again. With one last gesture at Seto, Aurora dissapeared.   
  
Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Teá and Bakura slipped into seats and started to eat. Joey was shoveling a hamburger down quickly.   
  
"What's the hurry, Joey?" Yugi asked, looking over the table at his friend.   
  
"I'm heating Helerty pafter hool." Teá groaned, disgusted.  
  
"Don't speak with your mouth full Joe." Joey swallowed and said:  
  
"I'm meeting Serenity after school, so I need to get my homework done quickly."  
  
"Joey wants to learn?" Tristan asked.  
  
"I never think I'll ever hear the words Joey and Learn in the same sentence ever again." Teá smiled, at her friend.  
  
"It's good your getting extra time in for homework, Joe." Yugi smiled, "But don't choke yourself, I said to Aurora we'ld meet her after school. I have something importent to ask her."   
  
"Oh, she does look extremly like Ryou doesn't she?" Joey said. Ryou looked up from his quiet position looking at his food.  
  
"More like Bakura, did you see the way she snapped at you Joe?" Tristan asked, he and Joey chuckled.  
  
"What?" Ryou asked.  
  
"Do ya think their related?" Joey said, frowning.  
  
"Only to Bakura." Joey and Tristan laughed again.  
  
"No, I am not related to that girl, Aurora, and I doubt anyone is related to Bakura that still lives." Ryou said, catching on with the subject.  
  
"Yeah," Joey smiled, "He probably killed them all."   
  
"No, I mean I'm definatly not related to her." Ryou said.  
  
"Anyway, lets all eat quick. So we can get our homework out of the way too." Teá suggested. Her friends nodded and they make their way to the study room.  
  
Please R/R, the next chapter will be up soon. 


	3. Losing badly

**Ms whatshername**: we are watching a video about.......drones on  
  
**Cassie**: gets paper and pen out  
  
**Casie**: Don't say your taking notes --  
  
**Cassie**: wha? NO! I'm wrighting the next chapter of my story for my loyal reviewers   
  
**Casie**: okay, lets help! leans over to Cassie  
  
**Cassie** U You may be my Yami Casie, but sometimes I really think your my twin  
  
**Casie**: sisterly love? I think not!  
  
A **BIG BIG** thanks to:  
  
**Toxic**: thanks mate,   
  
**Cyrus13**: I hope you keep squirt under control Yami Cyrus  
  
and **Dragonmaster01**: Your help was amazing ;) thanks for the feedback

* * *

  
  
Aurora picked at her scab on her cheek, miserably. The dog tags she was wearing rattled in the wind. The time was only 2 o'clock, meaning she needn't meet Joey for another hour. Her mind was full of visions of tortured Seto Kaiba's, she mentally dug him with Knifes.   
  
She had gone to a store and brought new clothes; a grey halter neck top, and black jeans. She always wore her dog tags but for some reason she had decided not to put them on yesterday. She looked like a punk as she walked down the road. Many civilians round eyed at her choice of clothes in the wind.  
  
"Take a picture it'll last longer!" she snapped at the crowd, who scattered as she made her way to another clothes shop.  
  
She entered and looked around, most of it was men's clothes, a little section in the corner was woman's. She decided to wear more womanly clothes from now on, just incase someone took her for a boy.   
  
She pulled on some boots and looked in the full length mirror.  
  
Her slim legs made the black jeans slightly baggy. Her pale face looked uneven against her tanned body, but she had to admit, she was looking good.   
  
Suddenly, two high school kids burst in the shop. She glanced at her watch, it was ten past 3, her fashion show had taken longer than anticipated.

* * *

Aurora lent up against the wall, she watched as the high school kids drifted out of school. Finally, she reconised Yugi and Joey in the crowd and started to make her way over. The wind was still high and she stood infront of them for a few seconds, silent as the wind blew her hair back. She took her hand out her pocket, her deck was firmly clasped in her slender fingers.  
  
"You wanted to ask me something didn't you, Yugi?" Aurora asked, suprised at her own words.  
  
"I do, Aurora. Can we wait untill the rest of my friends join us?"   
  
Aurora nodded, "Of course."   
  
Quickly, Teá, Tristan and Ryou filed out. Joining Aurora, Yugi and Joey in the school yard.   
  
Aurora ran her hand over her deck, shutting her eye's as she felt the wind press her hair back.   
  
"I don't like it." She said, after an akward moment, "The power is too strange." She held her deck infront of her, she turned the first card over to reveal an effect card, Tempus Bane. "I am not it's owner. My great grandfather gave it to me, he didn't understand I couldn't take the power."   
  
Suddenly, to the amazment of everyone currently there, Yugi changed, his Yami took his place.  
  
"What are you saying?" Yami asked, his face a portal to his confusion.  
  
"I am saying I no longer wish to posess my deck." Aurora dropped her deck to the ground, one eyebrow raised.  
  
"See ya around sometime, ah?" she turned to leave but Yami said:  
  
"You can't just abandon your deck."   
  
Aurora turned on her heel, "Don't give that 'heart of the card's' crap, we both know thats just bull. My card's don't have a heart, they don't have a soul."   
  
Aurora turned wordlessly away from Yugi and his friends, her memory flooded back to when she had left her great grandfather, but, fighting off the thought, she left the school.  
  
Joey bent down and picked up Aurora's deck, silent.  
  
"I didn't think she was like dat." he said, after a long tense moment. The wind blew more, the trees howling it it. After another long silence Joey pocketed Aurora's deck and turned to his friends.  
  
"Shall we go meet Serenity den?" Teá nodded, trying her hardest to smile. Aurora's actions had shocked them all, more than some would like to admit.

* * *

They met Serenity at Burger World, they all sat down in a booth nearest the window and prepared to order. Joey was ready to order the biggest fries and burger when he reached inside his pocket and felt Aurora's deck.  
  
'Wow, there is some power is dat deck,' he thought, 'no wonder she can't control it, or maybe, she just hasn't tried.' Joey fell back on the padded seat sadly, when it came to his order he only ordered small fries and a cheese burger.   
  
"Whats wrong big brother? Your not eating as much as you would of." Serenity asked, concern crossed her petite face, her brown eye's shimmering.  
  
"Nothing, Seren, I'm fine." Joey said, and to prove his point he started to munch on a few fries, but his appitite was lost. He glanced over to Yugi, who was also picking at his food. On quick observation Joey discovered no-one was eating either. Teá was the first to express the group's feeling's.  
  
"Joey shouldn't have Aurora's deck." She scanned the table, her blue eye's resting on Joey, "Aurora should. We should find her, convince her she can handle it."   
  
Joey looked doubtfully at Teá, "I don't think she can Teá, da power from 'er deck is amazing." Joey said, placing Aurora's deck on the table, and putting his next to hers.   
  
"Let's me have the deck, Joey." Yugi said, taking the deck.  
  
Outside, Aurora was sat on a bench, watching the world go by. She was in some kind of trance, in another world almost. She was just staring at the other side of the road as the cars went past.  
  
"Aurora." A voice said to her, "Aurora, your soul is gone. You've lost your heart." Aurora shook her head, the voice was loud inside her.  
  
"I haven't!" She pounded her hand against the bench, "I still have my heart!"   
  
"Do you.......?" the voice asked, its voice fading slowly.   
  
Aurora snapped out her trance, over the road was Burger World, and in Burger World was-  
  
"-Joey." Aurora whispered, she got up quickly from the bench and ran across the road, without looking. She heard a car honk behind her and Joey, who had passed her deck to Yugi, turned his head to see her.  
  
"Aurora." He said, making the rest of his friends turn their heads towards the white headed girl who was entering Burger World.  
  
"Joey..." Aurora whispered, eyeing her deck in Yugi's hand's. "I was a fool, my deck is my heart. Please Can I have it back?"  
  
Yugi smiled, "You don't have to ask." He passed her her deck, "You been through a work out with it yet?" A sly grin replacing his smile.  
  
"No," Aurora said, catching on, "I haven't."   
  
"You got a duel disc?" Joey asked.   
  
"Yer, back at the B&B, I could just go get it, it's just round the corner."   
  
"Sure," Yugi smiled, "Meet you in the park in five then." He said, getting up from his seat. Aurora nodded, making her way to the door.  
  
"Prepare to be amazed by the power of my deck." She grinned and left Burger World, she could hear the voice inside screaming in pain, but her heart screamed with delight. She had a friend.

* * *

"Hiya," Aurora smiled, she said it plesently but her voice came out in a snap. Her duel disk was on her arm, a smile took up most her face. "Ready?" she asked Yugi.  
  
"Ready as ever." Yugi felt he was on his own with this one, but that was fine, he wanted to see how well Aurora coul play. He stood opposite her, smiling.  
  
"DUEL!" they shouted in unision, a few people in the park stopped to watch.   
  
"I play Beaver Warrior in defense mode!" Yugi called, cleary, placing a card in his duel disk. The purple Beast-Warrior appeared in front of Yugi.   
  
"Cute," Aurora smiled, "But can it beat Red Herring? I also play this card face-down." Aurora placed a card in attack mode, it was a small red dwalf with a tiny axe. But before Yugi could call his next move Red Herring spilt into two, so two red dwalf's appeared on the field.  
  
"Did I mention as long as Red Herring is in attack mode it creates duplicate copies of itself? Befuddle the brain and confuse the mind, Yugi, which one is the real Red Herring?" Yugi looked at Aurora confidently as Red Herring continued to make duplicates. (Red Herring's attack points is 1000)  
  
"I play Swords of Revealing Light!" Yugi called, The Red Herrings were inclosed in the light as Aurora's face-down card, Pyro Hunter, was revealed in defense mode. Pyro Hunter had a red cloak over its face so all you could see was red flaming eye's like a bush fire. Aurora looked down at her deck, there was nothing she could do, she could pass for 3 turns, but what a waste. Maybe she couldn't attack but she could still lay a little suprise for Yugi's Beaver Warrior.  
  
"I play this card face down and end my turn!"   
  
Yugi stopped, was it a trap card? Should he not attack? Or was she bluffing? Should he attack? He remembered back to Joey's duel with him, he had guessed Joey had been in the same situation.  
  
'He won't attack,' Aurora thought, 'he doesn't want to lose Beaver Warrior like that.' Aurora mentally swore as Yugi called:  
  
"Beaver Warrior attack!" Beaver Warrior came crashing down on Red Herring, which dissapeared from the field. Aurora's lifepoints reduced to 3800.   
  
"Your lucky you chose the right one, a wrong one could of been fatal to your Beaver friend." Aurora said, her eye's narrowing. "I know I have no chance of winning this duel, Yugi, I accept that, this is my first time with this Deck. But refuse to give up without a fight, I will train and become better, I probably will never beat you but I can always say I gave it my best shot."   
  
"I honor your courage, Aurora, I can see you will make a good duelist someday."   
  
"Now lets cut the crap and get to the bit when I lose," Aurora turned her face down card so it was face up and showed a small wolf cub in Defense mode. "I end my turn."   
  
Yugi, drew a card, and looked at it, it was Silver Fang. "I place Silver Fang in Attack mode and place this card face down."   
  
Aurora drew from her deck, a smile appeared instantly on her face.   
  
"At the expense of 200 of my life points I play Tempus Bane, turn the clocks forward 500 years!" Silver Fang grew older, it fur thickened. But Aurora's baby wolf started to grow, it became bigger and its attack points, originally 900, became 1500, but its defense points lowered becoming 750.   
  
Yugi looked slightly shocked at Aurora's wolf.  
  
"I thought you said you didn't know who to use your deck!"  
  
"My great grandfather taught me, he told me about the fusions I must use, Tempus Bane is a valuable asset because, now, as you can see your Silver Fang may still have it's attack and defense but after your turn I can attack and you can wave goodbye to sweet Silver Fang."   
  
"I switch Silver Fang to defense mode and end my turn." Yugi knew he had to lose Silver Fang, but something was wrong, why hadn't that smile dissapeared from Aurora's face? "Huh?" Yugi muttered.   
  
"I read you like a book Yugi, finally I can attack now your Swords of Revealing Light are gone, but instead of attacking Silver Fang, as I promised, I'm not. Egyptian Wolf attack Yugi's Beaver Warrior!" Egyptian Wolf went to sink it's fang's into Beaver Warrior when Yugi held his trap card up.  
  
"Don't judge a book by it's cover, Aurora, I guess you must of forgot about my Trap Card? I activate Spellbinding Circle!" As Yugi held up his trap card, Aurora swore and waited as Yugi chose his next attack.   
  
"Silver Fang, attack Tempus Bane." Yugi cried, Aurora winced as Tempus Bane, a elf like creature was wiped from the field. Her life points reduced to 3000.   
  
"Time to bring out the big guns, Yugi, no more mucking around I summon Heat Reaper to the field!" Aurora smiled, finally this duel was about to get intresting.

* * *

hey, I think that was pretty good for my first duel scene. Please R/R, thanks. 


	4. A clean slate?

**

* * *

A/N:** o.O only after rereading it did I relise I forgot to do sacrificing, hits self I WILL NOT DO THAT NEXT TIME ;; I pwomise, Just, well, ignore my dumb mistake :( Oh yea, I own Aurora's dek, it's my own creation, so if u wanna use a card from her deck, talk to me about it and I will send you the info on it : adon't use a card that belomgs to me though, i will be very upset.

* * *

Last time:_ "Time to bring out the big guns, Yugi, no more mucking around I summon Heat Reaper to the field!" Aurora smiled, finally this duel was about to get intresting.  
  
_

* * *

A Black Cloaked figure appeared on the field, it's hood was drawn so you could only see a pair of glaring red eyes.  
  
"I play Gaia The Fierce Knight in Attack mode." Aurora looked at her hand and winced, she had nothing that could power up Heat Reaper enough so he would be able to attack Gaia The Fierce Knight. She could only change Heat Reaper to Defense mode, and hope Yugi didn't have anything planned. Heat Reaper's attack points were 2300 and defense points were 2200. Her Attack points couldn't beat Gaia while he was in attack mode, she needed him in defense, but not only that she needed him in attack so she could get Yugi's lifepoint's down. She started to get frustrated, not with Yugi, but with herself.  
  
'I have to be able to do this, there has to be some way of getting his attack points down.' She thought, trying to hide her frustrated face in her arm. She didn't want Yugi to know she was having trouble controlling her anger.  
  
"Come on, Yug'!" Yugi's friend's called, Yugi smiled warmly at them. Aurora looked sad and doubtful, one duel didn't matter, just because she couldn't control her deck didn't neccessary mean she was a bad duelist right? Just because she had no friend's supporting her didn't mean she couldn't win.  
  
"It's your move, Aurora." Yugi reminded her carmly. Aurora resisted the temptation of putting her hand over her deck and giving up and threw all her must into drawing her next card. She smiled slightly, she remembered this card, Woodland Reaper, it resembled Heat Reaper in many way's. She remembered sitting on the field with her 'friend's' who had eventually deserted her. She had that card in her hand now, as she had done that day. She held it the same way, tear's beginning to form at the sides of her eye's. Wiping them away she changed Heat Reaper into defense mode and prayed for the best.  
  
"Are you alright, Aurora?" Teá asked, calling to the white haired teenage girl.  
  
"Hmm? Me?" Aurora looked up, "I'm good, thanks Teá," Aurora looked Yugi straight in the eye, Yugi didn't blink or look away. A smile was playing at the edge of his mouth.  
  
"Bad hand?" he asked, Aurora looked wide eyed at him, how did he know?   
  
"Oh, I wouldn't count on it." She bluffed, his smile became a grin, then lurked back into the shadows from once it came.   
  
Aurora thought Yugi was going to attack Egyptian Wolf but he drew another a card and said simply:  
  
"I end my turn." Aurora knew he was up to something, there was no mistaking it, he had a hand that could wipe the floor with her in a matter of milliseconds. Maybe he was going easy on her. Aurora's hand lurked over her deck, she drew, her heart racing.   
  
"I play this card face down." She smiled menacingly, she was in the hand's of fate now. She had played a direct attack monester card on the field. Yugi would think it was a trap, she would activate it soon, hopefully the ball was in her court in this.   
  
Yugi seemed to know his next move instantly,   
  
"I play Dark Magician in Attack mode." Aurora swore mentally, Dark Magician was enough to take out all the monesters on the field in a matter of seconds. Why was Yugi playing Dark Magician anyway? Was he trying to make it seem he needed to take it to the Max to destroy her?  
  
Dark Magician appeared on the field, Aurora shut her eye's, it was now or never.  
  
"I activate Whismical Fate," A red elf appeared in the middle of the field, half was dark, on Yugi's side, and half was light, on Aurora's side.   
  
"Whismical Fate, use Ebony Talisman." The red elf held a Talismen out, holding it so both Yugi and Aurora could see. One side was black with a seven pointed star in it, the other was white with a red flame in it. In the middle was a gold hand, like one on a clock. Immediately the hand started to tick.  
  
"Choose a number Yugi, any number." Aurora said, smiling at Yugi's confusion at the matter.   
  
"Er, seven." The hand fell to Yugi's side, then Aurora's, then back to Yugi's.   
  
"The hand will move seven times starting from you, Yugi. If it land's on you.... just wait and see." Aurora smiled. The sixth hand fell on Aurora, so the seventh fell on Yugi. Yugi frowned as nothing happened. But suddenly a noise was heard, his lifepoints were reducing. He gasped, his lifepoints we're down to 3000 and still going down.   
  
"Ebony Talisman cut's you lifepoints straight in half Yugi." Aurora said, making a cutting motion with her hand diagonally. Yugi's lifepoint's stopped at a clear 2000, Yugi was horrified.   
  
"Don't blame it on me, fate led you down this path." Aurora said coldly at Yugi's expression.  
  
"I-I didn't say it was your fault," Yugi said, still slightly shocked at the decrease of his lifepoints.  
  
"Nah, 'e didn't!" Joey shouted, siding with Yugi, "After all you did play dat card anyway, so it is half your fault!" He said, pointing an acusing finger at Aurora.  
  
"I don't know why your so worked up, Yugi could of lost those lifepoints by losing a monester and you wouldn't throw such a fit then would ya, Hound?" Aurora barked coldly back at Joey, who was being restrained by Tristan and Teá.  
  
"What did ya call me? Came and say dat to ma face!" Joey said, trying to fight off Tristan and Teá. Ryou was standing back with the crowd of people, as if he didn't know Joey or Aurora and Serenity was amazed at her brother's behavour. Yugi looked determinedly at Aurora and shouted:  
  
"Dark Magician attack Heat Reaper!" Dark Magician, true to form, wiped Heat Reaper from the field.  
  
"Don't think you can insult my friend's and get away with it lightly, Aurora, because your can't. This Duel is far from over, I may only have 50% of my lifepoints left but I have 100% support from my friend's." Yugi said, as Heat Reaper was destroyed. Heat Reaper had been in defense mode so she lost no lifepoints. She looked at her hand, drawing the only level 7 card in her deck, Woodland Reaper, it's attack points were 2500 and defense was 2600. Yugi smiled, almost innocently.  
  
"I play monester reborn, I bring Heat Reaper back from the graveyard in Attack mode." Aurora looked up from her hand at Yugi. The word's Heat Reaper flitted across her lip's.   
  
"I also play the card I had face down, Reinforcements, to raise Heat Reaper's attack points to 2800." Yugi finished, Aurora couldn't believe it, not only was her own monster against her now, but Yugi had managed to power it up too. Now he had Dark Magician and Heat Reaper on the field. '  
  
They looked good together, to be honest.' Aurora thought, 'A true team.'   
  
"Whismical Fate, use Ebony Talisman." Aurora cried before she could think. Whismical Fate drew the Taslisman out and waited for Yugi's call.  
  
"Lucky number 6." Yugi called, Aurora shut her eye's as her Lifepoints started to reduce to 1500. She couldn't believe she was acting like this, as if all the hurt she had bottled up during 16 years was finally catching up with her. She fell to her knees, her trousers scraping the ground. She bowed her head low, and watched through teary eye's as her tear's fell to the ground.   
  
'What's wrong with her?' Yugi thought.   
  
'Memories.' Yami said inside Yugi.  
  
'What do you mean? Memories?'   
  
'The Memories she has kept tight inside her, about her great grandfather and her past. Playing with The Fate Deck, as it's named, open's up a person's soul. Aurora has had a harder life than most people, she isn't as cold on the inside as she is on the outside.' Yami explained, Yugi could almost feel his heart reaching for Aurora. She had, of course, done a spur of the moment thing by using Ebony Talisman, she relied on fate too much. He was amazed that Aurora's own deck was making her lose, as if her deck was against her.   
  
"No, no, no. I don't wanna go back, they'll beat me for leaving, but they'll find me. They'll hurt me." Aurora placed her hands in front of her so she could see them, the tear's ran down her face freely now. Nothing was held back, right in front of Yugi and his friend's Aurora poured her soul out. "She says I'm losing my heart, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not...." she trailed off, her head still bowed. Suddenly she flushed red, and stood up.  
  
'She's trying to fight her deck...' Yami informed Yugi.  
  
Yugi, stunned by Aurora's sudden burst of strength, muttered "Pass." Though subconciously doing so.  
  
Aurora, the stubbornist person she knew personally, tried to regain all dignity lost. But what was lost could not be returned, so in a bid to take people's mind off the fact she had broke down in tear's right in front of them she drew her power up card for Woodland Reaper.  
  
"I play Master Bow, raising Woodland Reaper's attack points by a quarter of my Lifepoints." Woodland Reaper's attack points increased by 375 making it 2875 attack points.  
  
"Woodland Reaper attack Heat Reaper with Arrow Rot!" Woodland Reaper drew back his bow and let an Arrow fly into where Heat Reaper's heart would be. Heat Reaper dissapeared from the field and returned to the graveyard.   
  
Yugi lost hardly any Lifepoints, they were reduced to 1925.   
  
"I play this card face down, and end my turn." Yugi said, regaining composure. Aurora became airheaded, thinking 'Good, now I can wipe Dark Magician from the field.'   
  
"Attack, Woodland Reaper, Arrow Rot!" Aurora shouted, pointing at Dark Magician, Woodland Reaper drew his Bow back amd let the Arrow shoot, but it dissapeared before it hit Dark Magican.  
  
"Wha-what?" Aurora stuttered, Yugi turned hid trap card round, from infront of him.   
  
"My Trap Hole stopped Woodland Reaper dead in his tracks," Woodland Reaper dissapeared from the field. Aurora looked sad again, her power being destroyed. She only had Whismical Fate on the field now. Yugi drew a card and smiled.   
  
"I play Summoned Skull in Attack mode." Yugi called, Aurora looked over her hand.  
  
"I play Feure Wolf In Attack mode," Aurora could see it coming, but just a second too late.   
  
"Summoned Skull, Attack Feuer Wolf." Aurora's Lifepoint's reduced to 1300.   
  
Aurora couldn't believe this, she was losing badly, Yugi had 1925 Lifepoints, and she had 1300 now. The only monsters she could possibly draw would only be a level 3 or 4 not enough to beat Summoned Skull.   
  
Sighing she drew a level 3 card, "I play Elegant Tiger in Attack mode,"   
  
Serenity smiled, the tiger was beautiful, it was a Bengal tiger, it's eye's were warm flame colour and it's nose was as black as night. Aurora looked up and caught Yugi smiling at the Tiger too, but quickly he looked up at Aurora. He was still smiling, but it was a sad smile as he called out his final attack. Dark Magician wiped Elegant Tiger from the field and Aurora's lifepoints reduced to 0. A single tear fell down Yugi's cheek as he watched Aurora again fall to her knee's. Teá, Serenity, Joey and Tristan were by her side instantly. Teá wrapped her in a hug, wiping away Aurora's tears. Aurora took her deck back as Yugi made his way over to her.   
  
"That was great," he said, holding out a hand to pull Aurora up with.  
  
"But I guess the better duelist won." She grabbed his hand and he pulled her up. She held on to his hand for a second, as if it were a lifeline. But, she smiled at him again and turned to go.   
  
But, after remembering a incident that had happened during the duel she turned back to Joey.  
  
"I'm sorry for calling you a Hound, Joey, your not, and you never will be." She looked up at him, she seemed to of shrunk so she had to look up to him.  
  
"Dats okay, Aurora, next time you'll be duelin' me." He smiled at her, "Dat Tiger was beautiful,"   
  
"Yeah," Aurora agreed, she glanced over to the outskirts of the park, standing outside was Kaiba, had he seen the whole duel?  
  
"He's been watching since you started," Teá said, Joey, Tristan, Ryou and Serenity turned to look at her, "I didn't mention it though."   
  
"Spying," Aurora spat, suddenly, the reformed Aurora changed, back into the street punk that they had met the day before. She took off her Duel disc and started making her way towards Kaiba. The group exchanged troubled glances, it looked like World War 3 was on the rampage.   
  
"You been watching me and Yugi duel?" she shouted, Kaiba turned to look at her, his eye's narrowed.  
  
"Oh no, he we go again." he said quietly, a few people in the park turned to watch Aurora and Seto. That made Aurora even more determined to show him up.  
  
"Why are so unsocialable?" Seto asked, straighting up.   
  
"I'm not unsocialable, I just hate people." Aurora snapped, walking right up to face him, "Why were you watching me?" She was inches from him now, near enough to lay a punch if she had wanted to.  
  
"What if I was? It's a free Country." Aurora sneered and moved her face close to his.   
  
"I would of liked to insult you but the sad truth is you wouldn't understand me." Kaiba looked angry.  
  
"You've bothered me far too much today, punk, get out of way!" Kaiba barked, trying to get past Aurora who kept stepping so she was in his way.   
  
"Are you always this stupid or are you making a special effort today?" Aurora asked, almost laughing at Kaiba's failed attempts to pass her. Joey was staring to crack up now, he was bent double at the sight of Kaiba trying to pass Aurora.  
  
"What you laughing at Mutt? You aimless, alleybred mongrel!" Aurora stopped laughing and gasped, she held her hand back and slapped Kaiba clean across the face.  
  
"Scum!" She yelped at him, angerily. Kaiba's hand shot to his face, he couldn't recall being slapped by anyone before. "How dare you, you fleabitten , dogbreathed troll, I know you are nobody's fool, but maybe somebody will adopt you."   
  
Kaiba must of taking the 'adopting' thing a little too personally, after all Aurora didn't know about him and Mokuba being adopted.....  
  
Joey, Teá, Yugi, Tristan, Serenity and Ryou ran over, shock on all their faces at the display of attidutes before them. The sound of Aurora's slap had carried over a lot of the park, head's turned at the sight of the CEO of KaibaCorp.'s red face. Kaiba, losing his anger actually lashed out at Aurora, she stumbled and fell to the ground. The edges of Kaiba's mouth twinged, Aurora kept her angry face for one more second. It looked as if, to the bystanders, like Aurora was going to jump up and kick him. But her face broke into a smile, looked like both the Kaiba brothers could make her smile. She laughed, putting her head down and looking at the floor.  
  
"You pushed me, I didn't expect you to do that." She looked back up at him.  
  
"Why don't we start with a clean slate?" Kaiba asked, holding out his hand to assist her getting up, as if her grabbing his hand would sign the truce. She turned a blind eye to the hand and brushed herself off.  
  
"Maybe, just don't let your mind wander - it's far too little to be let out on its own." She smiled at Yugi and his friend's and said:   
  
"Chow guys," With one lasting look at Kaiba she left the park and made her way down the road.

* * *

Hey ya all, this was dedicated to Hoping eye's, Bakura and my Hikari, cassie, I'm sooo cute aren't I? Jking, plz review, it would mean the world to me :) 


	5. The Seal of Anubis

hello all,  
  
**thanks to**:  
  
**Shimari**: I like wrighting duel scenes  
  
**Toxic**: Oh ra, r u still toxicinated?

**dragonmaster01**: thanks so much for being a loyal reviewer   
  
**Elemantel Witch**: cool name, and thanks.  
  
**Yami-lor-kris**: thanks for reviewing, and np in reviewing urs  
  
and  
  
**hoping eyes**: thanks for r/r hunz, make sure you read this one too ( I am turning into Mai with all this hunz!)  
  
**Dragonmaster01**: Haha, I love torturing Kaiba, sure, thanks for ur review  
  
**xBlueEyezx**: thansk for liking Aurora, she'a a bit rough if u ask me thanks for reviewing :)  
  
a/n: ohhh, and the plot thickens. This fic is going to explain about... well, i must'n give the plot away now must I?

* * *

Last time:_ "Why don't we start with a clean slate?" Kaiba asked, holding out his hand to assist her getting up, as if her grabbing his hand would sign the truce. She turned a blind eye to the hand and brushed herself off.  
  
"Maybe, just don't let your mind wander - it's far too little to be let out on its own." She smiled at Yugi and his friend's and said:   
  
"Chow guys," With one lasting look at Kaiba she left the park and made her way down the road._

* * *

Aurora left the B&B to get the fish and chips she wanted for dinner. She couldn't believe that for once in her life she was truely happy. Her loss at a duel had earned her many friends, even the arrogant Seto Kaiba couldn't stop that. Finally, she could look up at the sky and was happy, her soul truely free. Though she would never admit it openly she knew Yugi and his friend's had accepted her into their group, the weekend was dawning and Aurora was ready to put a proposition to them.   
  
She had always been fond of camping and hiking as a young girl, her Great Grandfather took her on Satadays every two weeks. She had been most happy out in the blissful countryside, and now she had someone to share that happiness with, she was going to ask them to join her camping at a large forest in Osaka. She had just entered the fish 'n' chip shop when she saw someone vaguely familier to her at the counter, putting seafulls of vinegar on their chips. The girl turned and bashed straight into Aurora.  
  
"Watch where your going!" The girl, who had black hair, snapped at Aurora. Aurora slid down in the seat, trying to remember who the girl was.   
  
"Your orders ready Ms." The man at the counter smiled, "'Ere, I'm sure I've seen you around somewhere, no?" Aurora bit her bottom lip, was people starting to reconise her?  
  
"I don't think so, thanks." She took the chips and paid the man. She started towards the door, hugging the chips to her chest.   
  
Aurora started a swift walk down the road, which moulded in to a run. She reached for the B&B door and relaxed when it opened. The warmth welcomed her, throwing her sneaker's off, Aurora opened the paper and took a chip, munching it.  
  
She thought of her parents when her cell rang. She picked it up absently.  
  
"Aurora Samaki?" A cold voice asked.  
  
Yugi looked down at the English homework, he thought about his duel he had had that afternoon. Aurora had been good, no doubt about it, but she needed experience and a carm attidute could help.   
  
'Hikari?' Yami asked. Yugi bit his lip.  
  
'Aibou?" Yami asked again, becoming concerned. His ghostly spirt appearing at the end of Yugi's bed.   
  
'Yugi?' Yugi finally looked up.  
  
"I was thinking about Aurora." The spirt raised an eyebrow.  
  
'Really now?' Yugi shot his darker form a glare.  
  
"Not like that, tawainai!" the other Yugi laughed.   
  
'I know what you mean Aibou, why are you so worried about her?' Yami frowned.  
  
"I can just imagine her getting involved with, with-"  
  
'The wrong people?' Yugi's spirt finished for him, 'I don't believe Aurora would.'  
  
"But what if she did, you saw the way she was with Kaiba, and even Joey." Joey, who was just outside the room agreed.  
  
"Yer, that girl has some bite!" Yugi laughed as his blonde friend backed into the room with a plate of cookies in one hand, drinks in the other and his duel deck resting between his arm and his homework.   
  
'I'm sure her bark is worse than her bite, Joey!' Yami added. Joey sat down next to Yugi and picked up a cookie, he took a bite out of it and devoured it within seconds. Yami looked on painfully as his Hikari and friend ate, he would do anything to be able to eat again. He dissapeared back into the Millennium Puzzle.   
  
Suddenly there was a knocking at the door, it sounded frantic. Yugi rushed to the door followed by Joey and flung the it open. It was Aurora, a teary eyed Aurora.   
  
"Aurora? What is it?" Yugi asked. Aurora was sobbing hard now, whatever happened must of shaken her up bad.   
  
"What 'appened?" Joey added. Aurora flung her arm's around Joey, completely breaking down. Joey led her to the living room and sat her down on the couch. Yugi shut the door.  
  
'I knew something like this would happen.' he thought to himself.   
  
"Oh Joey, I was so scared. My mobile phone rang, so I picked it up. On the other end there was a man who said he wanted me, he wanted me out of the way, and Yami, who was he talking about? Do you know?" Joey glanced up at Yugi, who's eye's were wide with fear.   
  
"Aurora, did this man say who he was?" Aurora shook her head and snifffed.  
  
"He just said he was part of The Anubis Seal, but that's all." Yugi frowned.  
  
"Anubis Seal?" He sat down beside Aurora and Joey.   
  
"Maybe, or it might just be a coinidence," Aurora continued, her sobs dying, "It might be connected to this card I have." Aurora drew a card. In the picture was the head of a Jackal on a flat, round, golden circle. It was a level 6 effect monester card. Its discription read:  
  
'All Trap, Magic and Monester cards are wiped from the field.' and continued in what could only be thought to be Heiroglyphs.  
  
The card was headed with the name: The Seal of Anubis.  
  
"Wow, dat looks rare!" Joey said, eyeing the card.  
  
"Are those Heiroglyphs?" Yugi asked, holding the card lightly in his hand. Aurora shrugged.  
  
"I don't know Heiroglyphs, anyway, my deck is pretty much centered around this card, without it, my power is lost. This card is the power you and Joey can feel." Joey took the card from Yugi.  
  
"Woah, sure is." Joey could feel the power even though he had only lightly brushed the card with his hand.   
  
"How did you know I lived here, Aurora?" Yugi asked.   
  
"Teá told me once that you lived above the Turtle game shop, all I had to do is go down the road." Aurora replied.   
  
'Screaming like a maniac.' She added silently.  
  
"I thought it was my parents on the phone, so I told whoever it was to shut up and mind their own buisness." Yugi winced.  
  
"I take it they didn't take your word's too warmly?"   
  
"Not at all, they then threatened me and said they knew where I lived. They said they had spies watching my every move." Aurora thought back to the girl in the fish 'n' chip shop.  
  
'She could of been a spy, watching me, maybe she was even there when I dueled Yugi. I was so involved with having a go at Kaiba I suppose I could of missed her.'   
  
"The card is a mystery to me." Yugi commented, "I have never seen one like it before."   
  
"Me neither, ya don't think Pegasus made one like dis dat was stronger dan any other card?" Joey asked.  
  
"Pegasus? He's mad and crazy enough to do so." Aurora said, a smile twinged at the corners of her mouth.  
  
"He created the Egyptian God Card's didn't he? I suppose if he had wanted to he could of created the card. I can't see who else would." Yugi commented.   
  
Maximillion Pegasus was the man who owned Industrial Illusions. He had created the Duel Monesters cards. For a short peroid of time he had kept Yugi's Grandpa, Seto Kaiba and Mokuba Kaiba's soul's in cards, he had even threatened Yugi with the same fate. But Yugi had beaten Pegasus at his own game with a tactic he and Yami called Mind Shuffle, he and Yami would switch so Pegasus couldn't read their minds with his Millennium Item to see the Monester played on the field or it Yugi's hand.   
  
Bakura, the soul inside the Millennium Ring, had taken Pegasus' Millennium Item after he had been deafeted. Bakura's goal was to collect all the Millenium Items.  
  
Aurora's cell rang once again, she was frightened to pick it up. Her hand clenched it and pressed the 'ok' button. She pressed the phone to her ear.  
  
"H-Hello?" she muttered feebly.   
  
"Hi Aurora, it's me, Mai. I came round your place but you weren't there. Where are you huns?" The silky voice asked. Aurora relaxed.  
  
"It's Mai."she mouthed at the boys, who relaxed too.   
  
"I'm at Yugi's, Mai, why?"   
  
"Seto Kaiba phoned at 9 o'clock during my Manicure and shouting down the phone he said someone had contacted him threatening to kill him."   
  
"Oh... Why did he phone you first?"   
  
"I'm the first one in his phonebook." Mai explained, "He sounded totally freaked and wondered if you had anything to do with it."  
  
"That pig.... What's his cell number, Mai? I've gotta give him a piece of my mind."  
  
"Now don't go doing that huns, you won't have a mind left." Mai laughed slightly, "Anyway, it's-"  
  
Yugi's home phone rang, Yugi, rolling his eye's leaned over and picked it up.   
  
"Hello." He listened to the phone for a moment then dropped it.  
  
"Aurora, it's the same man that contacted you, and probably the sameone as who contacted Kaiba too." Aurora's month dropped open. She grabbed the phone and howled down it:  
  
"Listen here you scum, when I find out who you are, and trust me I will, I'll hunt you down like a fox hunts a rabbit!" Aurora heard the phone on the other end go click as the man hung up.  
  
"Hello? Hello?" Mai called through Aurora's cell, "Did you just call me scum and say you'd hunt me down?"  
  
"Oh," Aurora scratched the back of her neck, "No Mai, I was talking to the man that phone me earlier and Seto, he just phoned Yugi."   
  
"Oh, okay." Suddenly there was a crash from the shop below. Yugi and Joey ran down to the store with Aurora close at their heels.  
  
"What happened?" Mai asked.  
  
"Someone broke into the shop!" Aurora called back, looking around for the culprit.  
  
"Listen, Aurora, I know your tough and everything but I don't think you should go lookiong for trouble, huns, stay upstairs. Aurora? Aurora? AURORA?"   
  
Mai worriedly grabbed her bag and ran to her car, hopping in she started the engine and sped down to the Game shop. She hung up Aurora's call and phoned Teá.  
  
"Hello, Gardener residence." The voice said.   
  
"Teá, oh I am ever glad to hear you?"  
  
"No, but what ups Mai?"   
  
"I was talking with Aurora just a second ago, she was at Yugi's place. Supposedly she, Seto and Yugi had disturbing calls threatening them. Minutes after Aurora insults the man on the phone the line goes blank." Mai heard scrambling and talking on the other side of the phone.   
  
"Hold on Mai, you go there and I'll join ya with Tristan." Teá called. Mai nodded as if Teá could see her through the phone. She hung up as she reached the Turtle game shop.  
  
"Woah!" she skidded the car to a halt, "That's one BIG hole." In the window of the Turtle game shop was a gaint gaping hole.   
  
'What on earth could of made a hole so large?' Mai thought to herself.

* * *

(5,000 years ago)

The room was only lit by one torch burning soundly in the corner of the stone room. One one end of the table sat a young woman, one the other end sat a man, both their faces were shadowed in the darkness. Before them on the table laid papyrus and a short quill.  
  
"So what do I get out of this arrangement?" the man asked in the shadows. The woman sighed and shifted herself so she faced the man.  
  
"To be honest, your life is saved. At the moment we are all in danger, the least you could do is sign something that means if you die, I die." The man grinned.  
  
"Ah yes, but what if I am signing my own death?"  
  
"Then so be it, be far from me to stop you doing so. But I am not trying to make you fall in the Crocodile's pit. If the agreement be a sin on my own head be it, may my heart be devoured by Ammut."   
  
"No doubt, what do you get out of this then?"  
  
"Knowlodge that Egypt is safe again. If we do not come to an agreement quickly not only we our lives be in peril but that of the Pharaoh too." The man laughed slightly.  
  
"As if the Pharaoh means anything to me." The woman stood up in anger.  
  
"Ra beheld that man with the power, respect that."   
  
"Man? Man? This 'Man' is no more than a foolish boy that believes he has the strength to control Egypt."  
  
"And you can do better? He is doing a honorable job, even now when he needs our support most." The man sneered at the woman and pulled the papyrus towards him.  
  
"Just tell me where I sign so I can be gone."   
  
"There, and Priest, if word gets out that you have been plotting against the Lord your head he will have."   
  
"Yours too then, my Lady." The Priest bowed, "We must be keeping these Shadow Monesters under control."  
  
"Indeed, Set, indeed." The lady bowed too. The man stepped into the light. He had brown hair and blue eye's.  
  
"And Set?" The man turned to face the woman.  
  
"Aurora?"   
  
"Ra have mercy on thee for commiting such a great sin against the Lord." The Priest smiled.  
  
"I do not think he has forgiven me quite yet."   
  
Ouch, what happened to Aurora, Yugi and Joey? Will they come after Seto? What are the past Aurora and Set plotting? And what is Set against the Pharaoh?   
  
Find out soon.  
  
Plz R/r - 


	6. Attack! Part 1

**Thanks to**:  
  
**Cyrus13**: My plot gets even twister, trust me :) thanks for reviewing

* * *

**dragonmaster01**: thankyou so much for reviewing :) your such a loyal reader  
  
**hoping eyes**: thanksyou for reviewing too hope,   
  
**Toxic**: thank mate  
  
**Shimari**: thanks for reviewing!  
  
**Hikari**: thanks to you too :)

* * *

last time:   
  
_She thought of her parents when her cell rang. She picked it up absently.  
  
"Aurora Samaki?" A cold voice asked._

* * *

_"He just said he was part of The Anubis Seal, but that's all." Yugi frowned.  
  
"Anubis Seal?" He sat down beside Aurora and Joey.   
_

* * *

_"Ra have mercy on thee for commiting such a great sin against the Lord." The Priest smiled.  
  
"I do not think he has forgiven me quite yet." __

* * *

_  
Seto Kaiba sat at his desk, tapping his fingers on it. His eye's hadn't moved from the phone, why hadn't Mai phoned back yet?  
  
A crash from the room below made him freeze, Mokuba was next door playing on the playstation.  
  
"Mokuba?" Seto called, getting up. His younger brother appeared at the doorway.  
  
"What was that?" He asked, wide eyed.  
  
"Go back and play on the Playstation, Mokuba, I'll-" Suddenly Seto froze again as he heard a female scream. Rushing downstairs he flung the door open, in the middle of the carpet was Aurora, Yugi, Joey and creature Seto couldn't even of dreamt up in his worse nightmare. The creature's face so horrifically mutated that it was bearing distinquishable as living.   
  
"Dis one of ya henchmen, Kaiba or just a relation passing through Domino City?" Joey asked nervously. Aurora hit him to tell him to be quiet. The monester roared loudly and picked Aurora up, she screamed and kicked.   
  
"Let me down you, you-" For once Aurora was lost for insults. The monester got ready to fling her when another breakage of glass was heard and a cry from Mokuba.  
  
The monester dropped Aurora hard to the ground where she laid regaining her breath. Seto backed off as the creature made its way towards him, it lashed out with a dog like tail and flung him back against the wall. As another cry was heard from upstairs, the creature made its way up to the second floor four steps at a time.  
  
"Ryou?" Joey and Yugi said, in unision.  
  
"Oh my back! What on earth is that creature? It doesn't seem real." Aurora said, fiercly.  
  
Joey and Yugi, pleased to be released from the Monesters grasp, helped Aurora up and started running after the dog-like creature. Both didn't see Kaiba slumped against the wall, Aurora fumbled with her top as she passed.  
  
"Kaiba? You okay?" she asked, spotting him. She waved a hand in front of his face, she seemed to get no reaction. She looked around, making sure no one else was looking and took off her jacket and placed it behind his head. After being convinced he was still beathing she stood up and made her way after Yugi and Joey.   
  
Ryou was backed up against the wall with Mokuba as two dog-like animals advanced on them.   
  
"Help!" Ryou whined uselessly. Yugi, Joey and Aurora looked around hopelessly. Nothing would stop these 8 foot beasts.   
  
"Do anything!" Mokuba added.  
  
Aurora grabbed a large book and flung it hard at the window, it smashed, distracting one monster from Ryou and Mokuba. Joey ducked and ran to the two boys, the other monster swang it's tail round. Joey ducked again, the tail missed Ryou's face by inches.   
  
"Be careful, Joey!" Yugi warned, the other creature was backing Aurora up against the smashed glass.  
  
"Ow," she hopped on one foot as a small piece of glass dug into her. The creature, seizing its's chance hit Aurora hard. Aurora stumbled and fell through the broken glass, grabbing onto the window ledge. Suddenly Kaiba appeared at the doorway, flinging himself at the monester he managed to avoid the tail and grab onto Aurora's hand. Aurora smiled, holding on for dear life.  
  
"It's either my deja vu or we've been in this sitution before." Aurora said, as Kaiba started to pull her up. She flung her arm's around him when he got the whole of her body up.  
  
"Thankyou." she whispered in his ear.  
  
"Well, I can't say it's payback, but you owe me one now!" Aurora grinned, as Joey grabbed Mokuba's wrist and flung him towards Yugi. The boy stumbled back and ran to his big brother who was pulling back from the hug he and Aurora were sharing. Suddenly the lights flashed and the creatures dissapeared in grey smoke. Everyone breathed out and Ryou slid down the wall in shock.   
  
"I don't ever want to see a horror movie with Werewolves EVER again!" Ryou said, the group agreed.  
  
"That was..... the most scarest exprience...... of my intier life." Aurora breathed, she seemed to be hyperventilating now.  
  
"Teach Ryou ta Hyperventilate, Aurora, 'e needs ta." Aurora laughed at Joey's comment. Ryou smiled up at his friend's, just happy to be alive.   
  
"What the hell was that thing?" Aurora asked.

* * *

"You let them escape? ALL OF THEM?" Damien called, angry, pacing the confrence room.   
  
"I'm so-sorry, Master Shaw." the small man said, staring at Damien.   
  
"Even that blasted Tomb Robber?" Damien howled at the man.   
  
"I'm afraid so, Master Shaw."   
  
"Why?" Damien asked through clenched teeth.   
  
"I-I think The Charge of the Pharaoh and Set have an alliance again, Master, this could, could disrupt our plans for The Seal of Anubis."   
  
"I don't think so Harris, why didn't my creatures destroy them? Well, for whatever reason, just bring in the kid." Harris indicated to some guards who were dragging a struggling boy.  
  
"What's your name kid?" Damien asked.  
  
"Jack, sir." The boy replied after being hit across the head by one of the guards.   
  
"Ah, now, Jack, I believe you have a record of sucessful stealing? I want you to steal this card-" Damien drew a card with the words Seal of Anubis at the top and held it infront of Jack "-From this girl."   
  
On the gaint screen behind Damien appeared a CTV cap shot of Aurora at a fish 'n' chip shop. Another with her smiling with her family and one more with her hugging two small boys.  
  
"I know her, I took her deck yesterday." Damien nodded.  
  
"So it seemed, this is Yugi Muto, Ryou Bakura and Seto Kaiba." Three pictures replaced Aurora's on the screen, they were pictures of Yugi, Ryou and Seto. "I will send you in with my hit squad, while my men take care of them, you will take Aurora's card and return it to me."  
  
"And if I don't?" Jack asked, defensivly, crossing his arm's.  
  
"Oh, but you will." Damien smiled, "or else............"

* * *

Yugi woke up the next morning on his sofa. His head hurt and his doubted his legs would ever be the same again. Yawning, he rolled over and stretched his arm out.  
  
"Ow, watch it Yug'!" The blonde below him on the floor groaned, touching his head where Yugi had hit him. Yugi looked over Joey, on the floor was two white headed teenagers both deep in conversation. One was leaning on her arm, picking at the scab on her cheek and a new one on her arm and the boy was sitting up right with his duel deck out.   
  
"So, lets go over this again, Ryou, a Yami is someone who looks almost like you, but acts different?"   
  
"Morning." Yugi interupted, as to signifiy his presence.  
  
Aurora turned round on her arm to greet him.  
  
"Morning, Yugi, sleep well?"  
  
"Okay, I guess." Aurora looked expectantly at Joey.  
  
"I 'ad nightmares of eight foot dog creatures carrying me off." He admitted, Aurora laughed.  
  
"Well you can't say I had pleasent dreams, my back was killing me." Yugi looked up.  
  
"You should of said, I would of given you the sofa."   
  
"Nah, I'm sure I'll live, if I don't, expect a letter from my lawyer." Yugi smiled.  
  
"Ok, but no letter bombs." Aurora smiled back.  
  
"You spoilt the suprise now."   
  
Joey smiled as the two chattered on, leaving Ryou to count his cards at the back of the room. Aurora pulled her deck out of her pocket.  
  
"So that was what was digging into me all night, I thought I was going crazy when I couldn't feel anything underneath me." The group laughed, Aurora stared them down with a glare. They all knew she meant no harm and was just joking around but the glare was as seroius as Aurora's glare's ever was.   
  
"I stil can't believe what happened last night." There was another groan from Yugi's bedroom and Aurora jumped up in shock.  
  
"First Werewolves, don't say Zombies!" Aurora moved to the door, kicking her deck over the process. Ryou reached out and took her deck, putting it back in a neat pile and looking at the cards as the rest of the group moved towards Yugi's bedroom.   
  
"After three," Aurora said quietly, "One, two-"  
  
"Three!" Joey shouted, ramming into the door. Aurora and Yugi stood back as a scream erupted from Yugi's bedroom.  
  
"Get out, Wheeler!" Joey rushed and slammed the door behind himself.   
  
"Sorry, Mai." He blushed crimson as Aurora and Yugi chuckled.   
  
"You okay, Mai? We forgot you stayed the night." Mai opened the door and came out, tying the top of her top up.   
  
"Are you sure Joey forgot?"   
  
"We-we thought you we're a Zombie!" Joey stuttered.  
  
"You really know how to charm a girl don't you, Joseph?" Mai said, flicking her hair. Aurora smiled as Ryou came out the room and held out Aurora's deck. She hesitated but eventually took it, she pocketed it and went back to the living room to turn the television on. She switched to the news, nothing serouis today it seemed.  
  
"And finally, one of what seemed to be one of the greatest discoveres of our time, the second piece of the Seal of Anubis was discovered this morning in Egypt but Ishizu Ishtar. The Seal which reads of many propecys also written in the Bel uh Fur, the Egyptian Book of the Dead......" The reporter continued on before showing the Seal of Anubis.  
  
"Oh my.... Yugi, Ryou, Joey, Mai, look at this!" Aurora called, the teenagers hurried into the room at Aurora's call. On the screen flashed a picture of the Seal of Anubis, many inscriptions aroun it but the camera centered in on one in the middle, a boy stood in the middle, a girl on his right side and a taller man on his left. Above them was the head of a jackal, growling in all its glory.   
  
"The Seal is believed to date back more than 5, 000 years ago during the 18th Dynasty....." Joey jumped on the phone and dialed Seto's number, passing the phone to Yugi.  
  
"Wha-what?" Yugi asked.  
  
"Yug', take a close look at dat man on the right hand side." Joey said, as if this explained all.  
  
"What about him?" Yugi said, confused.  
  
"Yugi, do ya need ya eye's tested? It's Seto!"   
  
"Hello?" the voice at the end of the phone said angrly. Joey nodded at the phone. Yugi took it and placed it to his ear.  
  
"Turn the TV on Seto," Yugi heard thumbling and then a click, the sound of the TV Reporter carried through Seto's phone, Yugi heard silence as the middle of the Seal of Anubis was shown again.  
  
"The man on the left hand side Seto....." Yugi said quietly. Seto was silent, but his breath could be heard through the phone.  
  
"Seto?" Yugi asked.   
  
"It's like the one Ishizu showed me, but, who's that, on the right?" Seto asked. Aurora looked closely, her hair falling infront of her. Ryou pushed her hair back and looked closer as well.  
  
"It's you." He said blankly at Aurora, Aurora blinked.  
  
"I couldn't be!" Ryou nodded.  
  
"The one in the middle is Yugi, well, his Yami atleast." Ryou said as he camera zoomed out again.   
  
"Whoa!" Aurora said, pointing at something on the round gold plate on the TV. "Ryou, thats you!" beneath the three was another, Aurora was correct, well, half correct.  
  
"No, that's Bakura. They put a lot of detail in didn't they? Even a scar on his cheek." Aurora stood up, shocked.   
  
"Seto, the one on the Right's Aurora, the one beneath you, Yami and Aurora is Bakura." Seto was silent again.  
  
"What does this mean?" He snapped, as if it was Yugi's fault that his ancient past was being shown live across the world. It was Yugi's turn to be silent.   
  
"We're in big trouble?" Ryou suggested.   
  
"The Seal was carved after the Pharaoh's mysteroius dissapearance. After the Pharaoh died usually the highest Priest would take his place if there was no direct relation, but in this case neither the Priest stepped up to be Pharaoh. It is most likely if the Pharaoh was killed, according to Ishizu Ishtar, the Priest was killed too, along with the girl inscribed beside them and the boy underneath."   
  
Ryou, Yugi, Seto and Aurora were deadly silent. The tension in the room could of been cut with a knife.  
  
"On other news..." The reporter stated. Aurora flicked the TV off and fell back on the sofa.   
  
"Oh my..." She buried her head in her hands, "I hope my parents didn't see that." she said, her voice muffled. Yugi looked down at her, still amazed. Joey looked over at the three astonised Teenagers.  
  
"Does that mean they all died together?" Mai rolled her eye's and slapped the back of Joey's head.  
  
"Yes, Joey!" Yugi said, finally saying something.   
  
"Well, I have to go, Yugi, thanks for telling me..." Seto said, a bit rougher than intended. Before Yugi could reply the CEO of KaibaCorp. had hung up, and Yugi didn't blame him, the shock must of been enormous. The room fell silent again, only the noise of the crowd, pondering about the boards that covered the hole in the front of the Turtle game shop could be heard.   
  
"Anyone for breakfast den?" Joey asked. Aurora shot him a bemused look.  
  
"I am sure you wouldn't be saying that if you saw yourself on a 5, 000 year old Egyptian Artifact!" Joey nodded.  
  
"True, I 'ave no exprience of seeing ma past life on TV, who wants Cereal?" Aurora's eye's widened.   
  
"Don't push it Joey!" Joey looked put down.  
  
"I'll have a Soda, Joey." Yugi said.   
  
"I'll have one too," Ryou smiled. Aurora looked suprised at this, she guessed she was outnumbered.  
  
"I don't think I'll have anything, I don't often see myself on TV. I'm afraid I'll never eat again."  
  
Mai laughed, "Keep that up you'll be just in time for next years Lent!" Aurora shot her a puzzled look.   
  
"Lent?" Aurora asked, arching an eyebrow.  
  
"Oh huns, it's when you give up a certain food." Mai explained, Aurora nodded, turned around and slowly rolled her eye's.   
  
"Anyway, thanks for letting me stay, Yugi. I'll see you soon," Aurora started to pack up a few bits of her stuff. Yugi let her out downstairs while the others tried they're best to crowd round the table and still leave room for Yugi.   
  
When Yugi returned Joey already had the Soda's out and was half way through his.   
  
"Don't drink so fast, Joey." Ryou warned. Joey swallowed and replied:  
  
"I'm okay." Mai shook her head, she stood up and took her bag.  
  
"Well, I better be going. I'm glad it's a Sataday."  
  
"Yeah. No school." Joey added.  
  
"No, Joey, shopping! Anyway, you left poor Serenity all on her own some. I'll go see if you wants to go to the mall." Joey spat a bit of Soda out, Yugi covered his face as Joey stood up quickly, so that his chair fell on the floor. Ryou and Yugi looked up at him, wide eyed.  
  
"SERENITY!" Joey shouted, "Yug' can I use ya phone?" Without waiting for an answer Joey flung himself at the phone and dialed his home number.   
  
"Hello..?" Came the tired reply at the end of the phone.  
  
"Seren..." Joey began.  
  
"Oh, Joey, I've been up all night waiting for you to come home. I was so worried, you said went studying with Yugi and would be home around 9:30, I waited 'till 11:00 and I only got three hours sleep."  
  
"Oh, Serenity, I'm so sorry. 'Ere, how 'bout I take ya to the pier, ah?" Joey heard his sister's happy squeal.  
  
"Really, Joey? Oh, I'll get ready right away." Joey smiled, said goodbye and hung up.  
  
"How you getting down to the pier, Joey?" Yugi asked. Joey's face fell.  
  
"Oh yeah," Yugi, Joey and Ryou turned to look at Mai, who was looking down at her nails. She looked up, in wonder of why they had gone so silent.  
  
"Me...?" she asked, "Well, I dunno Honey, I did plan to go shopping today....."  
  
"You can go shopping at da Pier." Joey said, hopefully.  
  
"Yeah." Chorused Yugi and Ryou.  
  
"Plus your the only one that can drive." Ryou said. Mai gaped at them, how could they do this?  
  
"Fine, okay, just you lot better leave me alone so I can shop!"   
  
"Deal!" Joey said, he looked at Yugi and Ryou.  
  
"I'll go see if Tristan and Teá would like ta come too."  
  
"I don't know if Teá would, Joe. She looked very tired when Mai drove her home yesterday." Yugi said. Joey looked sad for a minute.  
  
"Oh, well, I can count on Tristan to want ta come." Mai stopped Joey before he reached the phone. She held out her Cell to him in one hand, the other was holding him back on the shoulder.  
  
"Use my Cell, Joey, you have no idea how high Yugi's phone bill is already." Joey smiled, then blushed but took the phone graciously from Mai.  
  
"Thanks Mai."

* * *

Mai, Yugi, Joey, Ryou, Serenity and Tristan climbed into Mai's car. Ryou spotted Aurora in the cafe on the other side of the road.  
  
"Maybe Aurora would like to come too." He suggested, Mai looked back at him from the Drivers seat.  
  
"If you think we can fit another person in, Huns, go ahead and ask her." Joey climbed over Ryou and jumped out Mai's car.   
  
"Hey Aurora," Joey smiled at the white headed girl. She had changed her clothes, she was wearing a top with a bright gold star on it and leather trousers with her boots. She was heartily about to sink her teeth into a Cornish Pasty when she stopped to look up at Joey. She nodded to let him know she was listening.  
  
"Want to come ta da Pier with us?" Joey asked, Aurora almost dropped her Pasty.  
  
"Sure, I'd love to." She took her bag off the table and followed Joey who jumped back into Mai's car. Mai was getting pretty frustrated at everyone jumping in her car, Aurora seeing this, smiled nicely at her as she opened the door and got normally. Mai smiled at reconition of Aurora and started the car.   
  
"Wait!" The group looked around, it was Teá.  
  
"I can come too." Teá smiled, throwing her bag in the front passanger seat, "If thats okay." she continued.  
  
"Sure hun, hop in, I need all the female companionship I can get with these guys." She pointed her thumb at the boys in the back as Teá got in the same way as Aurora had. The four girls smiled and started chatting as they made their way onto the main road. The boys, detached slightly from the girls, talked among themselves.   
  
"You duel, Mai?" Aurora asked Mai, gently.  
  
"Sure do hun, 3rd in Duelist Kingdom and on of the eight Finalists in Battle City." Mai said, as she turned the car.  
  
"Wow, thats cool. I was going to go in for Duelist Kingdom, but...."  
  
"But what?" Teá asked.  
  
"Well, my parents were going through a rough time," Aurora was now aware of all the boys who had stopped to listen to her tale too, "And they said I couldn't go anywhere, let alone on holiday. When I asked if I could go to the Duelist Kingdom........ they said no, point blankly no. I suppose I got real angry, after all, I had a deck, a weak one, yeah, but I had a deck. I shouted at them, and they, being them, threw me out the house. They locked me out." Aurora finished.  
  
"Thats a downer." Mai said.  
  
"I told them I was going anyway, they fell for my bluff hook, line and sinker and phoned the cops. They were real angry when they thought I had made my way half way there and relised I was at home sitting on my doorstep." The group started to laugh, along with Aurora.   
  
"I have a better deck now," Aurora smiled. Everyone took out thier decks, except mai who was concentrating on driving.  
  
"Hey, Yug'," Aurora said, using Joey's nickname for Yugi, "Can I have a look through your deck? I can't take anything, as if I would." Yugi smiled and passed his deck over. Aurora's amazment grew as she went through his deck. She held up The Winged Dragon of Ra.  
  
"Oh my Ra," she teased, "No wonder I couldn't beat you, Yug'." Yugi took her deck, on the top was The Seal of Anubis.   
  
"Why didn't you play this card in our duel?" Yugi asked.  
  
"I could ask you the same question, you'd of won instantly." Aurora pointed out.  
  
"I'm careful with the card."  
  
"I see, well, The Seal of Anubis is a good asset, but the writing in Heiroglyphs is another effect, I want to know the full effect of it before I use it." Yugi nodded.  
  
"Can you fuse it?" Mai asked.  
  
"Pardon?" Aurora asked.  
  
"Can you fuse The Seal of Anubis?" Mai asked again.   
  
"I don't exactly know. I don't know of any cards it can be fused with." Aurora replied, looking down at the card.   
  
"The Seal of Anubis?" Ryou asked, "The thing we saw on TV this morning?"  
  
"You saw that too?" Teá asked, "That was strange."   
  
"I know." Mai smiled, "Hey, is that Kaiba?" The group turned to look out the car, on the side of the road was Seto Kaiba and Mokuba.  
  
"That guy haunts us!" Aurora said as Mai pulled up beside Seto.  
  
"Car letting ya down?" Joey asked. Seto sneered.  
  
"Maybe it is mutt-" Aurora smiled.  
  
"May I remind you Joey saved Mokuba yesterday." Everyone except Yugi, Ryou and Joey turned to stare at Aurora.  
  
"And I saved you." Seto replied, coldly. Aurora narrowed her eye's. So much for a clean slate.   
  
"Your point being?" Seto sneered as they heard a howl from the woods next to the road.  
  
"It couldn't be." Joey muttered. As if he's word's were the key great eight foot dog beasts appeared out of the woods, together with five men in black outfits and a boy.  
  
"That's Jack!" Aurora called as Jack started towards the car accompained by the dogs.  
  
"Start the car, Mai!" Joey called.  
  
"I'm trying, I'm trying!" Mai shouted, the car engine died as the dog beasts got three meters from them.  
  
"Oh ra," Ryou called. Joey scrambled to the drivers seat of the car, trying to get the car in gear. The group screamed as the creatures advanced and opened their large mouths and bared their teeth.

* * *

owww, cliffy......Please R/R 


	7. Attack! Part 2

thanks to:  
  
**Toxic**: Thanks m8 :)  
  
**Cyrus13**: one of my many loyal readers, thanks.  
  
**Beautiful Tenshi**: thanks for reading, I'm glad you liked it, and here's another chapter.  
  
**dragonmaster01**: hey, another chapter here. thanks for reviewing :)  
  
**Dedicated to**: my friemds, loyal readers, and my Hikari Cassie.

* * *

_Last time:  
  
"Yug', take a close look at dat man on the right hand side." Joey said, as if this explained all.  
  
"What about him?" Yugi said, confused.  
  
"Yugi, do ya need ya eye's tested? It's Seto!"_

* * *

_"Oh, Serenity, I'm so sorry. 'Ere, how 'bout I take ya to the pier, ah?" Joey heard his sister's happy squeal.  
  
"Really, Joey? Oh, I'll get ready right away." Joey smiled, said goodbye and hung up.  
  
"How you getting down to the pier, Joey?" Yugi asked. Joey's face fell._

* * *

"Start the car, Mai!" Joey called.  
  
"I'm trying, I'm trying!" Mai shouted, the car engine died as the dog beasts got three meters from them.  
  
"Oh ra," Ryou called. Joey scrambled to the drivers seat of the car, trying to get the car in gear. The group screamed as the creatures advanced and opened their large mouths and bared their teeth.   
  
Damien watched the activities from his black Limo, he had the window rolled down and Harris was beside him trying to see what was going on.  
  
"Harris, make sure the team doesn't let the boy escape with the card." Harris nodded and picked up a small radio.  
  
"Don't let the boy escape, get the card at all costs." Harris listened before he replied to Damien.  
  
"Are they allowed to hurt the kids?" Damien thought for about a second.  
  
"They can do anything to them as long as I get my card!" Harris nodded and echoed Damien's word's to the hit squad.  
  
Joey moved just in time as a gaint dog monester launched himself at them. Aurora dodged one on her left and jumped out the car.  
  
"Are they all coming after me?" she asked as the five dog monesters followed her out the car.  
  
"Your supposed to be going after them!" Jack called pointing at the rest of them still stationary in the car.   
  
"So your on their side?" Aurora asked as the dogs started to turn away from her, "Call your freakish pets off!" Jack sneered.  
  
"I don't think so, I'm quite liking this! Get that Blonde one, there!" Jack said, pointing at Joey, "He's the one who stopped me getting your deck."   
  
Joey looked scared for a moment, tried the ignition once more and leapt out the car. Jack took the chace to fling himself at Aurora, knocking her to the ground.   
  
"Get.... off.... me!" Aurora said, they scrambled for a bit, Aurora trying to lay a punch on Jack. Jack dug in her pocket and drew her deck out. He flicked through the cards and threw them at Aurora, taking one. Aurora scrambled up and ran after him as he made his escape.  
  
A dog creature grabbed her round the waist and threw her over it's shoulder. She screamed and kicked it hard, it didn't drop her. It started to carry her off. Yugi, who had changed into his Yami, vaulted over the back of the car and ran after her. The monster sensed his approch and swang its tail out.   
  
"Don't you-" Aurora kicked the creature hard in the chest, distracted for a moment with Yugi it dropped her. Aurora cried out something as the creature caught Yugi on the side of the face with its tail. It threw Yugi a fair few meters. Aurora heard car tires and Damien's black Limo screechd into view. It almost hit Jack in the side, but he missed it by centimeters and started running from it.  
  
"DON'T LET THE BOY ESCAPE!" Damien called to the hit squad. Aurora ran to Damien, he had black hair and a nasty grin on face. His eye's were covered by shades.  
  
"Are those your creatures? Are you the one who's been attacking us?" Damien looked over his shades with startling yellow eye's.  
  
"Maybe, sweet. Aurora is it? Aurora Samaki?" Aurora growled, baring her teeth like one of the dog creatures.   
  
"Don't you dare...."  
  
"Dare what, Aurora, who has two twin brothers!" Aurora edged towards the car, her fists balled.   
  
"How do you know so much about me?" Damien reached out the window and touched Aurora lightly on her cheek, where her scab had been, but now it was white and shiney like a scar.   
  
"You told me." Aurora batted his hand away.  
  
"Who are you? What do you want?" Damien smiled, showing a set a white gealming teeth.   
  
"I want your soul, Aurora, but for now, I'll settle for your Seal of Anubis card."   
  
"Your not getting it," She smiled, "Jack isn't giving it up, are you Jack?" Aurora asked the brown haired boy.  
  
"I don't think so!" he pocketed the card.   
  
"As long as you don't get it, I'm fine with Jack having it because I know I'll get it back eventually." Damien called out to the squad to attack Jack. Aurora jumped in their way to stop them, she saw Joey and Tristan running up to be reinforcements. Aurora flew her hand up to punch one guy in the face but he grabbed her fist half way to his face.  
  
"He's good..." Aurora muttered as the man threw her over his shoulder. She winced as she landed on her back, the back that had been hurting her all day. Mai breathed loudly as the car engine started. Aurora scrambled to her feet and started towards the car, but relised Yugi hadn't moved from the ground. Joey and Tristan were leaning over him.  
  
"Is he okay?" Aurora asked, Joey looked up, he had a black eye.  
  
"'e's fine, Aurora, get back ta da car." Aurora took a minutes descision and ran to the car, followed by Joey and Tristan who were supporting Yugi. Teá was getting back in the car with Aurora's deck. The fives monsters approched as Mai started to speed off. One jumped in front of the car and Mai yelled for them to hold on as she skidded round it. Doing at least 90 Miles Per Hour the group started to relax. Yugi was stirring, a cut down the side of his face signified the roughness of the beast's tail.   
  
"You okay, Yug'?" Aurora asked, "That was one brave thing to do for me." Yugi was no longer his Yami and blushed.  
  
"That's alright, Aurora. I think I'll be okay." Kaiba leaned back against the seat, he was beside Aurora, who was seroiusly beginning to question his authority.   
  
She eased sideways to give Yugi some breathing space, Kaiba shot her a glance.  
  
"Would you rather we left you to be devoured by beasts?" Aurora asked him.   
  
"I would rather ya had." Joey said, by now the car was lacking some definate needed space. Tristan shifted so he was sitting on the back of the car, it gave more room, but no enough to make the group comfortable.   
  
"Don't be shy, Mokuba," Aurora smiled warmly, she moved the black headed kid so he was on her lap. He smiled, the view was better from higher up. Seto glanced at Aurora who smiled and shrugged, Mokuba was pleased so that's all that mattered.   
  
Aurora sighed at the state of her deck, some cards were bent.  
  
"That's great isn't it?" she said codly, shocking the group. "The Seal of Anubis is gone. Jack took it, I wonder why that man wanted it anyway." Aurora said, remembering Jack's face as he dissapeared into the wood's with her card. No doubt Damien and his cronies would follow, searching for months for Jack. Mokuba looked through Aurora's deck gently, bending all the bent corners of them back.   
  
"Where we going then?" he asked.  
  
"You?" Mai asked, scoffing, "I'm dropping you off at the nearest gas station. We're going to the Pier." Mokuba looked at Kaiba, pleading with his eye's.  
  
"We can go to the Pier too, right, Seto?" Seto eye's narrowed.  
  
"No, Mokuba. I think I've had enough of gaint beasts and dogs today," he eyed Joey, "We're going straight home."   
  
"Aw, but Big brother." Mokuba asked.   
  
'Jeez,' Aurora thought, 'This kid really knows how to beg.'  
  
"Mokuba....." Seto trailed off as he's eye's met Mokuba's. They skimmed to Aurora who was looking pretty angry. "Fine, we'll go. But don't expect me to be nice to THEM!" Seto gave into his brother. Joey pretended to pout.  
  
"But ya know ya love us so." Aurora laughed, Seto looked, if possible, more angry and Joey decided to be quiet just incase Seto changed his mind and wouldn't let Mokuba go to the Pier.

* * *

"What does a Vulture stand for in Hieroglyphics?" Mokuba asked as they walked quietly down the Pier.  
  
Aurora looked down at him, "Why do you want to know, Mokuba?" He showed her an envolope.  
  
"I found it in your Deck." Aurora took the envolope. It was made of some sort of grainy paper. Papyrus maybe. On the front of it was a large Jackal with a gold plate in it's mouth. The envolope was quite bulky, as if something as large as Aurora's palm was inside.   
  
She opened it, inside was a model of a Scarab beetle, on it's under belly was a Vulture carved deep into it.   
  
"The letter A or E." Yugi said. "A Vulture stands for the letter A or the letter E."   
  
Serenity was smiling happily, she had candyfloss and was eating it hungerily. The waves smashed against the Pier. Mai had gone off shopping leaving the rest of them at the Arcade.   
  
Aurora was now sitting at the end of the Pier, her legs dangling over the end.   
  
"Don't fall." A rough voice warned her. She turned as Seto stood beside her, she looked up at him her icey blue eye's shimmering. The waves made a calming sound as they both listened to the Seagulls for a second.  
  
"It's beautiful really." Aurora said, her eye's skimming the greenish water. Seto looked down at her, questioning her comment.  
  
"I mean, we spoil it really." Aurora continued.  
  
"Aurora! Seto!" They turned at Mokuba's voice. Aurora heard a 'plop' into the water. She quickly stood up, searching her pockets.  
  
"The Scarab fell out my pocket!" she exclaimed, looking over into the water. It was floating on the suface of the water, rythmically moving with the waves.   
  
She staggered closer to the water but Seto touched her lightly on the shoulder.  
  
"It's okay, we can get it back." he said, coldly, "But if you fell we couldn't get you back." Aurora looked blankly up at him, but then thrust his hand off her shoulder.   
  
"I need that Scarab, Seto! It has something to do with our past, that includes your's!" Seto nodded. Mokuba and the group ran over to meet them.  
  
"The Scarab fell." Aurora said, worriedly, pointing to the floating object riding the waves. She pushed through the group and ran down the Pier, her boot's making a hollow sound as they connected with the wood.   
  
"Where is she goin'?" Joey asked, as they started to run after her. They started to run faster as Aurora skidded to a halt on the beach, throwing off her boot's. She started running again, towards the sea. But Joey caught her, swinging her round so she landed face down in the sand. Grounded for a second, She spat sand out her mouth, and wiped some off her face.   
  
"Why did you do that?" She pushed herself up and brushed sand off her clothes.   
  
"Because ya would of gone in ta da sea otherwise."   
  
"Your point being? Joey, I need that Scarab, WE need that Scarab."   
  
"Who's we?" Joey asked, pulling some white hair out her mouth which she had currently been chewing. The rest of the group stood a few meters back, Teá holding Aurora's boot's.  
  
"We, we are me, Yugi, Ryou and Seto." She glanced at the group, blinking sand out her eye. Wincing from the sand in her cut's, she sat down in a crossed legged position.  
  
"Joey can't you see how much this mean's to me, and especially for Yugi. I know for a fact he has been searching for his Yami's past for a while now, and this can help. If you won't do this for me, or Seto," she added cautiously, "Do it for Yugi and Ryou. Let me go find the Scarab." Ryou looked suprised. He had only known Aurora for two days, less then the rest and she was already offering to do something for not only him, but Bakura too.  
  
"If you let Aurora go in, Joey, you must let me go too." Ryou added, stepping forwards, suprised at his own actions.   
  
Yugi frowned, "And me too, Joe," Joey groaned, he knew he was outnumbered.   
  
"Fine go on, but don't blame it on me when Mai has a go at ya all for making da car wet." They group turned at Seto expectantly, all but Aurora was waiting for his say in this.  
  
"Don't let the tide take us out." Aurora said to him as the boys pulled off their Millenium Item's, sock's, shoe's, coat's and anything else that wouldn't leave them too exposed.  
  
"I won't." Seto coldly. Aurora started towards the sea again, this time accompained by Yugi and Ryou. She froze at the coldness of the water. But quickly adapting to it she dived in and started to swim towards the end of the Pier. Ryou and Yugi glanced at each other uncertainly, but then dived in and followed Aurora.   
  
Aurora wasn't a very powerful swimmer, the tide kept pulling her back inland. Ryou swam beside her and through mouthfuls of breath he said:  
  
"Thank's for doing this, Aurora, it means a lot." She looked at him, eyebrow's raised.   
  
"I'm doing this for me, I'm not doing this for you." Ryou nodded, but the sarcasism in her voice was clear, she wasn't doing it for RYOU she was doing for BAKURA. She had never met him, and secretly, though she'd never tell, she didn't want to, he seemed as mad as this Damien who was coming after them.   
  
They turned when they heard a speed boat, on the side of the boat was a Jackal, with a gold plate in it's mouth.   
  
"It couldn't be." Yugi whispered, swimming beside Ryou. The three teenagers stopped, the Speed boat heaed to were the Scarab was. Aurora, Ryou and Yugi put on a burst of power as they struggled to get to the Scarab.  
  
"You go get the Scarab." Aurora smiled, "I'll deal with Jackal head!" Yugi and Ryou nodded, Aurora swam towards the speed boat. She was now so close she could of touched the side of the boat. She swam up behind the boat, grabbing on to the rudder. She pulled herself up onto the boat. On the boat was two men in the black uniforms.  
  
"You don't know when to quit do you?" she asked, the men stood up. Aurora punched one in the face, he stumbled and grabbed her arm, pulling her into the water with him.  
  
"Ahhhhh!" Aurora cried, as the man fought to keep her underwater. She kicked and flailed, suddenly aware of how close she was to the boat which had stopped.   
  
The man stopped pushing her when he heard another Speed Boat. Aurora reached the surface, struggling for breath. Inside the boat was Joey, Tristan and..... Seto? The man in the (wet) black uniform struggled and got inside the boat again.  
  
"You baka, Lork." The other man slapped the back of his compainion's head.  
  
"What, Harris? I tried." Harris pointed to Yugi and Ryou, Yugi held the prize Scarab in his hand, they were both swimming towards the Speed Boat.   
  
"Certianly not a dull few days." Teá commented onland, as she pulled her cell out.   
  
"Hi." she said, as she heard Mai's voice.  
  
"Teá, I'm on the Pier, why are Yugi, Ryou and Aurora in the sea? Followed by Seto, Joey and Tristan in a speed boat and two men from The Seal of Anubis?" Teá laughed nervously, she watched Mokuba kick a stone and follow it to a rock pool.   
  
"It's a long story, Mai, you don't wanna waste your Credit on something so Trivial." Mai sighed.  
  
"Okay, I'll be in the toilets if you need me, at least there aren't anymore of those Dog thing's."  
  
"Yeah, they are probably still chasing Jack. See ya, Mai." Teá put the phone down as she turned to look at Mokuba.   
  
"What is it?" She asked, walking beside him. Mokuba pointed at a crab.  
  
"It's a hermit crab, Teá." Teá bent down and looked into the rock pool. Her reflection in the water was blurry, it didn't remind her of herself. The wind stopped for a moment and the water in rock pool was still. Teá wasn't dressed in her yellow top in her reflection. She was in a white tunic, gold hung loosely round her neck.   
  
"Do you see it?" Mokuba asked.   
  
"Mmmm." Teá asked, entranced by her reflection. The girl in the water was sad, she was crying, Tear's fell from her cheek's. It took Teá a few seconds to relise she was crying too. Joey and Tristan's shout's from the beach preoccupied her and drew her attention from the water.  
  
"Yah! We beat 'em good." Joey yelled, slapping Tristan a high five as they jumped out the boat. Aurora was onboard, shivering, but smiling none the less. Yugi looked at the Scarab in awe, why did anyone want the model of a Scarab? The group turned at Mai's cries.  
  
"Guy's, you are no way getting in my car when your that wet!" Even Joey, Tristan and Seto were wet, the water had sprayed up from the sides of the boat.   
  
"Best you look after it, Yug'. If it hadn't been for me we wouldn't of lost it anyway." Aurora said, seeing Yugi's hand clasped firmly over the Scarab.   
  
"Okay, I'll look after it, Aurora."   
  
"I know you'll never let it out your site." Aurora smiled, she hugged the towel Teá had given her closer to her body. She tried to dry herself to the best of her ability without getting the towel soaking and passed the towel to Yugi. He took it confused.  
  
"Well don't just stand there," she wrapped the towel round Yugi and threw her arm over his shoulder, hugging him close, "Your alright, kiddo." She drew back from the hug and turned to Mai, Teá and Serenity.  
  
"Where's the loo's? I need to go freshen up." Mai smiled and pointed towards the Pier.  
  
"I'll show ya, huns, anyone else need the toilet while I'm guiding ya there?" Ryou, Yugi and Joey started towards her. The rest of the group followed, seeing as there was no other activity to enrol it.  
  
"Wait, Aurora." Teá grabbed Aurora's wet shoulder and guided her to the rock pool, "What do you see?"  
  
"A hermit crab? Thanks for the nature tour, Teá, but I ain't fooling around, I need the loo." Aurora started to walk but Teá grabbed her shoulder's again.  
  
"Aurora...." Aurora started to look at her as if she was mad.   
  
"Teá, there is nothing there!" Aurora pointed to the water. Teá gave up, following the group silently as they made their way back to the Pier.   
  
"Beat it, Punk." Aurora snapped at a 16 year old.  
  
"Why should I?" he replied, balling his fist's. Aurora stopped as she passed him.  
  
"Oh, a wise guy, ah?" The boy sneered at the white headed teenager, hate filled his eye's.  
  
"Are you prejudiced?"   
  
"No, Kid, I'm free of prejudice, I hate everyone equally." Aurora said, staring at the boy straight in his eye.  
  
"Come on, Aurora!" Teá said, grabbing Aurora's arm.  
  
"Gerroff, Teá, this kid is asking for a punch."  
  
"Is it your time of the month?" The kid asked, smirking at his own joke.  
  
"Is it your's?" Aurora quipped back.   
  
"You have no idea how similar you are to Joey." Mai said, grabbing Aurora's arm, "Expect we have to keep him away from the WOMEN!" Teá smiled slightly.  
  
"But Aurora's not only a danger to other's, she endangers herself." Aurora smiled at Te's comment.   
  
"Come on huns, walk with us." Mai smirked, linking arm's with Aurora, "Don't let numb skulled boys get ya down." Aurora smiled, watching Joey and Tristan as they laughed and chatted.   
  
"But they're all around me." Aurora commented, she looked at Mai, who had her eye's fixed on Joey.  
  
"They're not all as stupid as they let on...." Aurora elbowed her and Mai shot her a look, even Teá and Serenity glanced at Mai.  
  
"What?" she asked. Aurora unlinked from Mai and pointed at the gaint rollercoaster.  
  
"I definately wanna take a ride on that!" She grinned, almost evilly, "Look at the size of it." Joey and Tristan had stopped to stare as well.  
  
"Dat would be cool, ya coming Yug'?" Joey asked Yugi.  
  
"Erm, I think I'll sit this one out, Joe." Joey turned to look at Ryou.  
  
"I think i'd rather keep my feet on the ground, mate." Joey didn't even bother to ask Seto, and he knew Tristan wouldn't pass up on it.   
  
"I think I'll stay here." Serenity quivered.  
  
"I'll stay with you, Seren, it doesn't look completely safe." Teá said, but quickly corrected herself, "But i'm sure it'll stand a few more rides." She whispered the next bit, "I hope."   
  
"Mmm, I dunno guys, it doesn't look like the safest thing in the world." Joey laughed at Mai's comment.  
  
"It's safe, Mai, or they wouldn't let da public on it, come on. It'll be a laugh."  
  
"Sure." Mai said, "It'll be a scream."   
  
Aurora chuckled, "I still the toilet though." She walked ahead of the group, giving the kid one last sneer.   
  
"Seto, can I go get Candyfloss?" Mokuba asked, pointing to where a woman was selling the sweet pink floss.  
  
"It'll rot your teeth, Mokuba." Seto began to complain when a woman called to Aurora, beckoning her closer. Aurora looked around and walked towards the woman, Ryou followed.  
  
"H-Hello dear," The woman stuttered, taking Aurora's hand. She was bent over and was wearing rather strange clothes.  
  
"Hi." Aurora said, Ryou stood beside her.   
  
"W-would you like your fortune's read, dears?" The woman asked Aurora and Ryou.   
  
"Oh, nah, I already know my Fortune." Aurora turned to Ryou for support.  
  
"Well, maybe...." he said, uncertainly.   
  
"Please, dears, I give you the first reading for free." Aurora still looked uncertain like Ryou.  
  
"Okay."  
  
The woman led them into a small hut, settling them down in comfy chairs. The hut was garnished with silk on the inside. The woman pulled some silk off a table to reveal a crystal ball.  
  
"You have to be joking, my forture might as well as be written in my diary." The woman hushed her.  
  
"Curse this evil spirts," The woman jumped up waving a stick. Aurora fell backwards on her chair in suprise. Both sweatdropping furoiusly, Ryou and Aurora sat back up and took some deep breaths.  
  
"Clear your mind of everything." The woman said, suddenly returning calm again. Aurora shut her eye's but Ryou looked slightly confused.  
  
"What is it dear?" The woman asked.  
  
"I-I can't clear my mind."   
  
'Of course,' Aurora thought, 'His Yami has a mind of it's own, he can't clear his.'  
  
"Tell him to shut it." Aurora whispered, leaning over to Ryou.  
  
"I doubt he will listen, Aurora, I will only recieve curses in return of my pleads." Aurora sat thoughtfully.  
  
"Change with him, I will try to get him quiet, just you relax and calm your mind."  
  
"I don't think I can relax while I know Bakura is loose." Aurora laughed.  
  
"No harm will come to any of us." Ryou nodded, Aurora watched him tense up. His hair and eye's changed.  
  
Aurora flung herself at the boy, covering his mouth with her hand.  
  
"Stop being so tense, Bakura!" Aurora smiled, trying to pin the boy to the chair. The woman was standing well back.  
  
"You thought you had some evil spirts around, now you have a psychotic one too." Aurora smiled, as the woman, her eye's wide stumbled back.  
  
"Is-is he okay?" she asked.  
  
"Bakura? Yeah. He's just taking some time to chill out." Aurora tried to force Bakura's head forward, but no avail, she leaned in towards him.  
  
"Bakura, I know you don't want to do this for your Hikari, maybe not, but atleast do this for yourself. This includes you." He fought her hand off his mouth.   
  
"Your lucky you still have a hand!" he warned her. She looked expressionlessly at him.  
  
"Relax," She said, getting slightly frightened of Ryou's other. She guessed he could feel it, but he closed his eye's all the same. Aurora followed suit and let herself drift from reality.  
  
"Aurora...." The woman said, "I can see you had a rough childhood, a non-stable family life. Your future is a bleak one, but a rewarding one at that. Don't let your emotions get in your way, and stick to your beliefs, in this fight your going to need all the friend's you can get so try and be more warm to your compainions." Aurora nodded, suprised at her own will of doing so, she listened as the woman started to read Bakura's future.  
  
"Ryou, or should I say Bakura, I see another bleak path, and friendless yet enemyless one. You are your own worse enemy, a fight for control is inside. Your cold on the outside, but maybe kinder on the inside."  
  
"I didn't come here for a personality test, woman, get to the point!" Bakura snapped, Aurora let her arm slip so it dangled down beside his.   
  
"Quiet, Bakura." she whispered. She felt for his hand, taking it in her own. "Let her do as she must." Bakura pulled his hand from her's but fell silent.  
  
"Don't mix with the wrong side, Bakura, stay true to yourself and your 'other's' friend's. They may seem meaningless but not intierly." The woman blew a candle out from in front of her.   
  
"That'll be five yen each."   
  
"Oi!" Aurora snapped, "You said the first reading for free." The woman smiled.  
  
"Just testing your memory dear." Aurora and Bakura stepped out into the sun light.  
  
"That was the most meaningless, boring piece of-" Bakura was cut off as Teá, Joey, Tristan, Yugi, Serenity, Seto and Mokuba ran towards them.  
  
"Look's like you met Bakura, Aurora." Teá said. Aurora glanced coldy at Bakura.   
  
"I wish I hadn't. Bakura, I like Ryou a lot more than you, that woman is deadly right, a friendless path it is for you." A twitch passed through Bakura's face like an electric shock. He changed back to his Hikari, who was quivering slightly.  
  
"Did-did he do anything?" Aurora slipped her arm arouns his shoulder's.  
  
"I subdued him." Ryou looked at her, scared, but his face broke into a smile.  
  
"I heard everything the woman said as clearly as if it was me listening. She only mentioned Bakura's future didn't she? Why didn't she mention mine?" Aurora bit her lip.  
  
"I don't know, Ryou. I'm just as confused as you. But now, I really need the toilet."

* * *

The sun was just setting as Aurora gathered her stuff and reached in her pocket for her key. She saw Yugi and Joey walking towards her, somehow Yugi had managed to thread the Scarab onto the chain on which the Millennium Puzzle hung on.   
  
"Hey, Aurora." Joey called, waving to her. Aurora waved back, opening her door and dissapearing into it. She reached her bedroom and put her stuff down. She frowned, the room had been ransacked, but nothing was missing. There was a note on the bed:  
  
_'till next time, Samaki._  
  
- _**D.S**_.'  
  
She was pretty sure she knew who'd signed the note and ransacked her B&B place. She searched her pockets for some money, she really needed a job. Taking that day's paper in her hand's she looked through it quickly at the part time jobs.   
  
She drew a pen from her draw and circled one advert. Throwing off her shoes she flung herself on to her bed, reveling in it's comfort.   
  
The advert circled was a advert for a job, advertising someone requiring a dog walker. It had good pay and all Aurora had to do was walk around a field with a lead in her hand. It couldn't be THAT hard could it?

* * *

Yugi found his room ransacked as well. He knew Aurora's, Ryou's and Seto's were most probably in the same state. He read the note then chucked it in the bin. He decided to check the messages on the answer machine.  
  
He had two new messages, one was from his grandpa who was in Tokyo at that moment, telling him he's be back tommorow and another from someone who had withheld their number.  
  
"Yugi, It's Ishizu Ishtar. We are visiting Domino for the grand opening of The Seal of Anubis, no doubt you have heard of it. I will you see you tommorow at 3 o'clock for the unvealing at Domino Museum. But be aware, my brother is also attending."  
  
Yugi smiled slightly, Malik was nothing compaired to his evil Yami, but Marik was gone now. But Malik was still not the most friendlyest of people. He reached for his phone and started to call everyone he knew about the Seal of Anubis.   
  
Tommorow was going to be very intresting............ 


	8. The Seal Opening

**dedicated to**: Hope, for having belief in me.  
  
thanks to:  
  
**Akemi Koneko**: thanks for your review.  
  
**Shimari**: lots and lots of tension.   
  
**Cyrus13**: Thanks, Cyrus,   
  
**dragonmaster01**: Yugi blushed, awww, cute. Thanks for the review  
  
**Cartoon-Freak-X (toxic):** thanks for r/ring.

* * *

Last time:  
  
_"Yugi, It's Ishizu Ishtar. We are visiting Domino for the grand opening of The Seal of Anubis, no doubt you have heard of it. I will you see you tommorow at 3 o'clock for the unvealing at Domino Museum. But be aware, my brother is also attending."  
  
Yugi smiled slightly, Malik was nothing compaired to his evil Yami, but Marik was gone now. But Malik was still not the most friendlyest of people. He reached for his phone and started to call everyone he knew about the Seal of Anubis.   
  
Tommorow was going to be very intresting............ __

* * *

_  
Teá held the phone limply in her hand. It was 8 o'clock in the morning. If she listened to anymore of Mai's rambling about the wet backseat of her car she'd be late.   
  
"Mai, I have to go. Did you get Yugi's phonecall yesterday?"  
  
"You mean the one at like One in the morning? Yes I did, I'll be there. Will you?" Mai asked.  
  
"Yes- I mean of course. It's importent to Yugi." Teá said, mentally making a note to make sure the guy's were aware of how angry Mai was about the wet car.  
  
"Okay, then you go to school Teá, I've kept you long enough." Mai smiled, as if Teá caould see her.  
  
"Yes, you have..." Teá said quietly, "I'll see you at three, Mai." They exchanged goodbyes and Teá hung up. She grabbed her school bag and reached for the door. Outside was Yugi, Tristan, Joey and Ryou all waiting impatiencently for her arrival.  
  
"'Bout time, what were ya doing?" Joey asked as Teá signalled for him to get off her garden wall.  
  
"Mai phoned, she isn't happy about her car." Teá said, as they started to walk, "The seats were all wet." The boys flushed red, it was their fault's along with Kaiba's and Aurora's that Mai's car was wet.   
  
"Is it ruined?" Yugi asked worried.  
  
"No, it will take a good cleaner to get the seats okay again, but it's not ruined." Yugi sighed as Joey whistled.  
  
"Can ya imagine what she would of done if it was ruined?"   
  
"We would have to emigarate," Ryou said nervously.  
  
"Or dissapear off da face of da earth to escape da wrath of Mai Valantine." Joey added, the boys laughed but Teá looked seroius.  
  
"Oh come on guys, she isn't that bad is she?" Teá asked, holding her bag close to her in the wind which had reared it's ugly head again. Silence was heard from the group untill Joey spoke up.  
  
"She's a great duelist, and 'er 'earts in da right place." Teá nodded, waiting for the rest to speak up as well.  
  
"I agree with Joey, she is very......" Ryou faultered, he couldn't think of a word to discribe Mai.   
  
"Oh come on guys, she isn't Marik or someone, this is Mai we are talking about!" Teá said, getting angry.   
  
"To be honest." Ryou said timidly, "I prefer Marik," Silence was heard again. Ryou looked around at him, to see no one agreed.  
  
"I was kidding." He continued, everyone smiled slightly.  
  
"We knew dat!" Joey smiled as they crossed the road. Yugi stopped suddenly, Making Teá bash into him.   
  
"Whats up, Yug'?" Joey asked.  
  
"Look." Yugi stated, pointing to a poster being put up the paper shop.  
  
"Woah," Joey gaped at the picture, that face and hair was unmistakable, "Dat can't be."   
  
Teá, Ryou, Tristan, Yugi and Joey took a step closer to the poster. It was either her or someone else with a extreme uncanny resemblance to her.   
  
"It's Aurora." Teá said, underneath the picture of the girl was a discription of Aurora, the police hadn't missed a beat. They discribed her down to the last freckle. Her parent's had filed a missing person report, it wouldn't be long till they found her.   
  
"Wow, she ran away." Teá said.  
  
"Didn't you see the paper the other day, Teá? There was a whole section on the front cover about her." Ryou reminded her.  
  
"I hope she is okay, her parent's are probably wild with worry." Teá said, as they started to walk again.   
  
"I am sure she will be fine, Teá. We are already late." Yugi said, starting to walk faster.  
  
"You going ta da Seal of Anubis opening, Teá?" Joey asked as they all sped up. Teá looked over at them questioningly.  
  
"Maybe....... I suppose." They had caught her off guard, why did everyone feel she didn't want to go?  
  
The bell rang and the teenagers hurried quickly to their lesson. The teacher looked manicly at them as they arrived five minutes late. Her red hair was laying straight this morning, where as usually it would be piled up in a bun.   
  
"Sit down." She chirped, catching them all off guard. They all took their seats towards the back of the class. Ryou next to Joey, who was behind Tristan and next to Yugi.   
  
Joey was scribbling something down on a piece of paper, shoving it towards Yugi when the teacher wasn't looking.   
  
Yugi reached out under his book and pulled the note out from where Joey had placed it.  
  
'How did you know about the Opening?' Yugi wondered how to respond.  
  
'Nevermind about that, Malik is going to be there.' Yugi passed the note back quickly, watching for the prying eye's of Ms Tenschu.  
  
Joey eye's wided slightly when he saw the note, showing Ryou who looked taken aback. Yugi took back the note when Joey passed it.  
  
'This will be fun...' Yugi laughed, putting the note away as Ms Tenschu started their maths.

* * *

It was 5 minutes to 3; Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Ryou, Teá and Mai joined the excited crowd outside Domino Museum. They could barely hear each other over the chatter and excitement of the many people gathered to witness the same thing they wanted to.   
  
The group turned to the barking of many dogs. There was Aurora, two Great Danes and a Collie dragging her along.  
  
"Hi...." she said, trying to control the dogs as one jumped for Joey.  
  
"See they reconise their own species." A cold voice bit.  
  
"Kaiba." Yugi said, innocently, "I didn't expect you to turn up." Seto shrugged the fact off as one of Aurora's Great Danes flew for him.  
  
"Can't you control them?" A voice asked. Aurora smiled at Mokuba's presence.  
  
"I've got a new job, part time dog-walking." She held up some yen, "It's beginning to pay off."   
  
Yugi strained to hear Aurora over the crowd, but they were almost instantly hushed by Ishizu Ishtar who was standing on the steps to the Museum.  
  
"Can you all carm down, please." She asked, her brow furrowed in concentration.  
  
"We wanna see the Seal!" A journalist cried, to a mass of agreement. Ishizu looked behind her, her brother standing a fair few feet back. Turning back to the front she sighed.  
  
"I bear terrible news about the Seal." Yugi and his friend's turned to listen. One of Aurora's Great Danes pulled her away, it was so strong it managed to do so, turning some heads. Blushing bright red, Aurora dug her heels in to control the canine, but to no avail. Her friend's looked on, amused, as she fell flat on her face and was unceramoniously dragged away by the hounds. She managed to tie one to a post, while still wrestling with the other.  
  
"The Seal has been removed from the exhibition. We do not know by whom or where it is now, but we have a faint idea." Ishizu continued, the journalists' ear's literally pricked up at this.  
  
"Who do you think took it?" shouted one.  
  
"Why do you think they look it?" Another yelled.   
  
Bending her head down for a second, Ishizu tried to summon some patience for the Press.  
  
"That is classified infomation, besides, we are not pointing any finger's yet. We will make no accusations while we are still unsure of the Seal's whereabouts."   
  
Seto sneered, "Waste of time..." he muttered, turning to go, but Mokuba took his sleeve.  
  
"Seto... What if the Seal isn't missing?" Seto looked down at the black haired pre-teen.  
  
"She just said it was, come on, Mokuba."   
  
"What if she just said that because she doesn't want the Newspaper's to take Photo's of it?"  
  
"She let them film it the other day...." Seto said.  
  
"Your brother is rather bright." A voice said, Ishizu had walked down to meet them, "When they filmed the Seal yesterday I had no control over it. But, today I do, come on in." She signalled to them to come into the Museum as the massive crowd had disintigrated.  
  
"Do you allow dogs?" Aurora asked, trying to quieten the hounds.  
  
"She's letting Wheeler in isn't she?" Seto smiled slightly. Ishizu looked at the dogs uncertainly.   
  
"Any trouble and they must be removed." She stated, Aurora nodded, dragging the dogs towards the entrance of the Museum.  
  
"Come on Jessy." Aurora smiled as the collie stopped to sniff the sign post.   
  
The Museum was deadly silent, Aurora let out a little squeak as the dogs ran for a book in the middle of the exhibition.   
  
"That's the Bel Uh Ful." Ishizu answered Aurora's question before the word's had left her mouth.   
"In English." Aurora said, her eye's widening as Seto reached her side to look at the closed book.  
  
"The Egyptian Book of The Dead. Each Pharaoh would be buried with one to help him or possibly her in the Afterlife." Ishizu helped, Aurora looked through the glass, misting it up with her breath. Moving on as the dogs decided to drag them to another side of the exhibition, the group stopped as they walked past Egyptian cutlery and plates.  
  
"You'd certainly need a servant ta clean all dat." Joey stated as they passed.  
  
"That is just peasant's cutlery, Joey." Teá said, reading the sign on the glass. Joey looked suprised, but moved on. Aurora lingered for a moment at the knives, she wondered how much a blade like that would pierce.   
  
Yugi was already way ahead of them at jewellry belonging to many Pharaoh's.   
  
"Why's it all Silver and not Gold? I thought Gold was more precious than Silver." Aurora asked, stroking Jessy on the head.   
  
"Because Gold was quite easy to come by in Egypt," Yugi explained, "Silver was not, as it had to be traded in to the country. Only the Pharaohs or someone high would be able to afford the Silver." Aurora nodded as Jessy set her black nose up against the glass.  
  
"Don't Jess, bad girl." Aurora scolded, as Jessy pawed the glass trying to reach the Silver it seemed.   
  
Aurora suddenly turned very pale, "You don't have any mummies here do you?" She asked Ishizu, catching Malik walking quietly behind them.  
  
A smile crawled over Seto's mouth at Aurora's fear.  
  
"Why?" He asked her, she looked as white as a sheet. She tried to scowl but her mouth muscles just weren't working, her mouth just lay there half open.   
  
"Not if you don't want to see them." Ishizu said, a gentle smile playing on her face at the teen's fear.  
  
"There is a great Mummy in The British Museum." Ryou said, "They nicknamed him Ginger. I saw it once, they have the biggest collection of Egyptian Artifacts outside of Cairo."   
  
"Is that Ginger the one preserved by Sand?" Yugi asked.  
  
"Yes, Sand was a good preserver, it would drain the hydration out of the body." Ishizu said as they walked passed a covered glass exhibition.  
  
"What's in dere?" Joey asked, pointing at the covered glass container.  
  
"A skull." Ishizu said blankly as they kept walking.  
  
"Whos?" Teá asked, stopping quickly. Malik from behind laughed.  
  
"A Pharaohs." Aurora was quivering now, the dogs eager to see the boney skull. Her body reisisted to move even when the Great Danes tugged, she wouldn't pass the covered glass conatiner.   
  
"I, I think I'll just stay here." She said, her voice shaky.  
  
"Ya frightened ain't ya, Aurora?" Joey asked, walking towards the skull. Ishizu looked at her brother skeptically, warning him to not say anything disturbing about the skull.  
  
"Maybe..." Aurora said, trying to regain composure.   
  
"Look, dere's nothing ta be afraid of." Joey said, clutching a piece of the velvet that covered the skull. Aurora knew what he was doing before he done it, he pulled the cover off. Aurora screamed as she shut her eye's tight, refusing to look at the skull.  
  
"Come on, Aurora." Joey said, "If ya don't walk past ya won't see da Seal." Aurora flung her hand's out like a blind man.   
  
"I don't have to look at it." Seto was almost in histerics.  
  
Aurora opened one eye, "You wouldn't be doing that it that was your skull!"   
  
Seto looked at her scornfully, he could say nothing to that, he had to admit, he wouldn't be laughing if it was.  
  
"My brother told you it was a Pharaoh's, not a Priest's." Ishizu said to the confusion of a few people.   
  
"To high up for you," Aurora said, trying not to look at the Skull as she passed, one eye closed.  
  
"It moved!" Seto said, Aurora jumped, backing up against the wall. Joey couldn't help but splutter a bit with laughter. Aurora just looked so funny beuing scared of a Skull.  
  
"That's a terrible thing to do, Seto." Teá said as Aurora breathed in and out. Yugi had had enough of the scared Aurora and was now looking closely at the Skull.   
  
"It won't bite." Joey said, as Aurora again tried to pass it. She shot him a look.  
  
"Don't give it ideas." She laughed nervously. Finally passed it she looked around for a chair to sit on.   
  
Ishizu started to walk on, Malik threw the velvet cover over the skull again, shooting Yugi a expressionless look.   
  
"Do you want to see the bitumen which some call the mummies, or would you prefer to go straight to the Seal now?" Ishizu asked, signalling at a makeshift door. The group looked around at each other as they heard a echoing voice. Aurora jumped as a tall, black haired boy with a dice earring joined them.  
  
"I only just heard about the exhibition," Duke looked over at the door, "Are there mummies?"   
  
Aurora was so freaked by this time she refused to see the mummies, but Joey wanted to see them, so Ishizu opened the door.  
  
"Comin' anyone?" Joey offered. Everyone shook their head's. Shrugging Joey walked into the room.   
  
About two minutes later they heard a crash, Ishuzi looked up.  
  
"Oh no..." She opened the door followed by everyone else, Aurora unwillingly followed along. Joey was standing next to a chair.  
  
"What happened?" Yugi asked. Joey shrugged.  
  
"Wasn't me." The group turned as they heard a key lock. Tristan pulled on the door handle to try and open the door.  
  
"Someone locked us in."   
  
Aurora paled again.  
  
"Anywhere but here." she muttered over and over again, sitting down in the chair next to Joey.   
  
"Help!" Teá called, as Tristan bashed on the door.   
  
"I am the only worker here at the moment." Ishizu explained.  
  
"When will someone else come?" Duke asked, banging on the door as well.  
  
"In two or three hours." Ishizu said, searching her pocket's for an extra key.  
  
"Two... or three.. hours?" Aurora said, shaking her head.  
  
'This is way to freaky for me, I don't want to be surronded by mummies.' she thought, daring a glance at one mummy.  
  
"Well, while we're 'ere tell us about these Mummies." Joey asked.   
  
"These are mostly Nomarchs and Imakhus from around the 18th Dynasty or maybe more. This one was the Keeper of the Secret of all the Royal Sayings." Ishizu explained.  
  
"Meaning he or she chose who saw the Pharaoh and who didn't!" Malik added distastefully. Yugi was listening carefully as well as staring at the stone carving behind the mummy.  
  
"That's what we found in her tomb." Ishizu added, seeing where Yugi's glance was directed to. A Gaint Wolf was carved beside the girl, who was standing infront of what looked to be a palace.  
  
"We found no treasure in her Tomb, so we suppose Tomb Robber's had taken it all around the time of her burial." Ryou looked sheepish and continued to look around carefully.   
  
"Was that from the 18th Dynasty?" Aurora asked, daring a glance as the mummified woman.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Under what rule?"   
  
"That's unknown." Ishizu stated.  
  
"Well today I've learnt ta never get trapped in a room with a bunch of mummies, my friend's and Seto Kaiba." Joey said, tiredly.  
  
Aurora stretched as Yugi looked at his watch.  
  
"We have only been here twenty minuties."   
  
Suddenly the Great Danes and Jessy went mad, jumping up at one mummy and growling. Teeth bared, they had pulled Aurora off her seat unexpectedly.  
  
"Carm down. Carm down." Aurora pleaded as the Dog's frustration just grew. Jess just gave a doggy sigh and laid down, The gaint Canines barking all over her.   
  
"I can't say they are not always like this because that would be lying." Aurora said, grabbing one Great Danes collar as she bent down, she came face to face with the sign on the glass and her mouth dropped open.  
  
"What is it?" Ishizu asked.   
  
"Nothing, my mistake." Aurora said embarrased, "I thought that sign said Tomb Robber that's all." Joey glanced at the plate on the glass.  
  
"It does."   
  
"Well, look, if she died (she pointed at the woman) around the same time as him (she pointed at the Tomb Robber) don't you think maybe the Tomb Robber was the one that stole the treasure in her tomb."   
  
Ishisu shook her head, as if Aurora had just uttered a nasty curse.  
  
"They died together, under the same strange circumstances. Already seemingly half mummified, Lungs, Stomach, Intestines already removed."   
  
"Dat reminds me." Joey said, "I'm hungry."  
  
Aurora paled again for the third time.  
  
"I'm hope your not that hungry, I don't think Ishizu would be too pleased if you ate any of her exhibits." Mai smiled, Aurora turned a delicate shade of green.  
  
"People did use them as medicene in the 13th Century to the 17th." Ryou added.   
  
"This is not my day." Aurora said queasyly, bending over. Mai walked to her side.  
  
"He was kidding, right?" Ryou shook his head.   
  
"Learned a lot today?" Joey asked himself. Mai gave him a look.  
  
"Have SOME sympathy, Wheeler."   
  
Duke and Tristan were still ramming on the door shouting for help.   
  
"Have you seen the Mummy?" Tristan asked, Aurora looked up, her delicate shade of green taking a turn for the worse.  
  
"Yeah, dats cool." Joey said, and then the group, excluding Aurora, Yugi, Ishizu and Malik fell into a heated disccusion about walking, talking mummies.

* * *

Sometime later, maybe hours or longer; no one had bothered to keep track of time, they heard a voice. Ishizu sat up straight on the chair.   
  
"Carlos?" She asked hopefully, relief washing over her as she recieved a reply.  
  
"Ishizu? What in the world are you doing in there?" Ishizu believed she had no energy in which to reply with.   
  
"It is a long story, Carlos, can you please be of assitance and escort us out of here." The door knob turned and a young man with fair hair and pale grey eye's that shimmered appeared at the door.  
  
"You will insist on getting in these situations, Ishizu." He laughed at her. His eye's fell upon the rest of the group.  
  
"I thought I left direct orders that no one was allowed in after the Opening." Ishizu face suddenly turned hard.  
  
"There was no opening; I do not feel as if we have the right to show the Seal to the public, Carlos." She faced him as the rest slipped past behind her.   
  
"The Seal has no rights, Ishizu, it is an artifact, and like every artifact we have ever discovered it is to be shown to the Public, I have not made acceptions for anything else. Ishizu, if you take your position here seroiusly you will announce another opening tommrow, if you don't, I expect your resignation by Wednesday at the least."  
  
Carlos left Ishizu standing by the door, neither her composure or posture deteriorated after Carlos' outburst.   
  
Ishizu glared after him, turning to the group.  
  
"Finally, I can show you that Seal." Yugi looked questioningly up at her.  
  
"Are you annoucing a new Opening?" He asked timidly, Ishizu blinked and looked down.  
  
"If I do not, he most certainly will. But I doubt the Seal will be around long enough for him to show it." At this point she looked up at Kaiba, "I have a feeling by tommorow it will be gone, long out of our grasp. A darker personnel that what we have worked to to gain the Seal is yearning for it. The evil inside it is not yet known to us, but thousands of years ago it was to them." The group tried to follow, understanding little but the Egyptians had known of the power inside the Seal.   
  
"The power is rising again, and they can feel it, they search for the many artifacts that will make the curcuit of power complete. One is hanging round your neck Yugi." Yugi looked up.  
  
"The Millennium Puzzle?" he asked, his hand ligering over the gold artifact.  
  
"No, Yugi, the other one." Yugi touched the Scarab, it's brownish tone catching the light.  
  
"The Millennium Item's played a part in the story. The Seal tells of a tale of a Shadow Monester, that only wish was for power and death. An alliance made to protect the People as the war against the Shadow Monesters raged. Many who faced the creature was killed, their soul's ripped from their body. It is unknown how many or of what importence they played in the Shadow Games, but one thing has recently come to our undestanding....."  
  
"What is that?" Mokuba asked, he had been so quiet they almost had forgotten he was there.  
  
".....That the Pharaoh was one who stood up against the Shadow Monesters, the creature depised him. The Pharaoh could only watch while his subjects were murdered at the hand's of the beast and the beast's army. But when his cousin was killed, along with the woman his cousin had made an alliance with, he decided to put a stop to it. He fought the Beast one-on-one with his Ka, the remaining preists and friend's waiting outside. The courage displayed that night must of brang them all to tears..... but Egypt was left with no Pharaoh, or Shadow Monesters." Ishizu eye's were deadly still, she did not kid about. In everyone present's heart they felt her strenght as she told the story. All that time her eye's had been fixed on Yugi, who's eye's were set on his Millennium Puzzle. Swallowing heavily he looked up, his eye's darting from friend to friend.   
  
Everyone remained silent, the story had struck them hard. Seto's eye's rested on Yugi. Aurora head buried in her hand's. It took them all sometime to relise that the Museum was soundly quiet. Ishizu looked away from Yugi, sensing something other than amazement in his glare now.  
  
"When... when did you discover this?" Seto asked eventually.  
  
"Less than a week ago, it took me by suprise as well."   
  
Aurora was the first to relise most of them were weeping, wiping tear's from her eye's she stood up, all fears of Mummies and Skulls gone.  
  
"Show us the Seal!" She did not order it as such, it was a request that was gladly obeyed. Ishizu leading them down a corridor to a gaint gold plate. It shone with such radiance it could of blinded them, every incription had been prized and taken great of. It was atleast four finger's thick, each picture drawn with detail. Each one looked hundred times better than shown on the TV. The delicate artwork was a monument to souls lost thousands of year's before. Each person in the room felt honored to stand before it.  
  
"It's incredable." Joey said. Teá looked up at it in it's glass case. The pharaoh was unmistakably the one in the middle. To his left one that held such a high post as Priest, and to his right someone that could of been a imakhu, an honored one; who would of been the Pharaoh's friend or close family. A gaint creature carved behind them, standing tall, it had the head of a Jackal but the body of a man.   
  
Underneath was again the boy who had been named as Bakura, the Tomb Robber. But something new was carved, something that hadn't been broadcasted. A young boy, one that unmistakably like Malik.   
  
"On the back.... I have yet to discover what it is." Ishizu led them behind the gold plate.   
  
Five rectangles that could easy fit a duel card snugly was carved in a strange formation. One at the top, three in the middle and one at the bottom.   
  
Around the formation was six round, almost egg, shapes the size of a teenagers Palm.  
  
"These round shapes fit these in." Ishizu pointed at the Scarab. Yugi slipped the Scarab off the chain and stood up to the Seal. With a look at Ishizu he fitted the Scarab neatly in.   
  
"So there must be more of those Scarabs." Aurora said, blankly.  
  
"They are The Scarabs of Anubis. We know a duel card fits into these spaces, but what Cards do is unknown, such is the power of what should awaken if they are all fitted in."   
  
"All we know," Malik said, "Is whatever power it was, it was strong enough to not only bring down Egypt, but to bring down the Pharaoh too."

* * *

Damien grinned widely.  
  
"You can get me the Seal?" Damien's eye's danced behind the shades he was wearing. Harris smiled evilly up at his master.  
  
"Certianly, it'll be a piece of cake. The security at the Museum is low, we'll have the Seal in no time."  
  
"And get me some of that Jewelry as well." Damien smiled, amused now.   
  
"And if you can - bring the Pharaoh."


	9. A big loss and a bit of stealing

thanks to:  
  
**Cyrus13**: hello, thanks, and my Yami says hi to your Yami.  
  
**Whimsical Lady**: thanks for the review and the constructive thoughts,  
  
**Koumori-Dragon02**: thanks for the review, ;)  
  
**Fushicho Hime**: thanks, hunz, read on please...  
  
**Mr Towel**: Thanks, Towlie, enjoy this chapter  
  
**Dedicated to**: Mr Towel, Cyrus13, Hope, Josh, and all my Reviewers......  
  
**_Last time_**:  
  
_"They are The Scarabs of Anubis. We know a duel card fits into these spaces, but what Cards do is unknown, such is the power of what should awaken if they are all fitted in."  
__"All we know," Malik said, "Is whatever power it was, it was strong enough to not only bring down Egypt, but to bring down the Pharaoh too."_

* * *

_Damien grinned widely.  
  
"You can get me the Seal?" Damien's eye's danced behind the shades he was wearing. Harris smiled evilly up at his master.  
  
"Certianly, it'll be a piece of cake. The security at the Museum is low, we'll have the Seal in no time."  
  
"And get me some of that Jewelry as well." Damien smiled, amused now.  
  
"And if you can - bring the Pharaoh."  
_

* * *

The sun was beginning to set as Yugi and his friend's were making their way home from the Museum. They were walking in silence, all that was heard was the faint sound of footsteps. Suddenly the ring of a cell phone broke the intense silence. Everyone looked around, some even checked their cell's.  
  
Everyone was suprised when they found out it was Kaiba's cell, he was mumbling something to the person one the other end. After a minute he hung up, sending a glare to the staring group.  
  
"Who was that, big brother?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"Just some people confirming the plans for the construction." Kaiba replied, putting the cell away.  
  
"Construction?" Yugi asked, confused.  
  
"We're building a new KaibaCorp." Seto said blankly. Again he started to walk, leading the group in front. He could hear the group muttering and whispering behind him.  
  
"Where's the new KaibaCorp being built, Mokuba?" Aurora asked, Seto's face expression hardened.  
  
"The center of town, it's only half complete." Yugi and the group exchanged looks.  
  
"Ya mean dat one right smack bang in da middle of town?" Joey asked, dragging himself along with group.  
  
"Yes." Seto said, through clenched teeth.  
  
"Da very one blocking my view of da burger place." Joey continued, crossing his arm's and trying to look angry as the group laughed.  
  
Aurora stopped when they reached Joey's home, but Joey signalled for her to continue to walk. She glanced over at the new KaibaCorp, it was starting to loom over her. Although it was only half built it already seemed to be very tall. It was standing proud and grandiloquent against the houses and shops surronding it.  
  
"Something of a landmark isn't it?" Mokuba said, stopping next to Aurora.  
  
"Ya huh." She started to count the levels it had so far. Just as she reached half way through Teá called out: "Ten! It has ten stories already?"  
  
"And it's only 'alf built!" Joey commented, quite bored, frankly he had seen it a thousand times. He saw it when he got up in the morning and when he went to bed.  
  
The wind turned frosty suddenly, blowing Te's hair back. A voice was carried on the wind, each of the group strained to listen cafefully.  
  
"Ouch, baka!" A voice shouted, Joey and Yugi exchanged looks.  
  
"Shouldn't the construction site be empty at this time of the night?" Mokuba asked.  
  
"Yes, it should be." Seto replied.  
  
"Why would anyone be in a construction site?" Yugi shivered in the cold wind. Joey shrugged.  
  
"Come on, bud, lets get home, it's beginning ta get chilly." Joey groaned, pulling on his jacket, emphisizing the coldness.  
  
"But that shout sounded like someone in trouble." Yugi said, trying to pull away from the blonde, who had a good tight fix on him. The Millennium Puzzle glowed in a warning, as if telling Yugi to just keep walking.  
  
"Come.... on!" Yugi said, his teeth clenched as he broke free from Joey's hold. Joey flew his arm's up in defeat, there was no use argueing with Yugi, he knew for a fact he would just lose.  
  
The group made after Yugi, Seto mumbling about getting home. Ryou trailing behind with Aurora who was shuffling her shoes on the ground. Yugi had already made his way in to the site by the time Aurora and Ryou reached the metal fence.  
  
"Yug'?" Joey called, looking for his friend. The group exchanged worried glances as they relised Yugi was gone.  
  
"Come on, Mokuba, I've had enough of this to last for good." Seto turned, but Teá stopped him.  
  
"Don't tell me you don't care, Seto Kaiba, 'cause I know you do. Yugi has to be here somewhere and you're sticking around to help find him!" she shouted, pointing at the half built building. Seto growled almost and stood still as the other's looked for Yugi.  
  
Aurora leant against the fence as they called for the boy.  
  
"Shouldn't we help?" Ryou asked, almost certain of the answer. Aurora shrugged.  
  
"We're wasting time, the kid's gotta be here." A noise distracted them both, the noise of something swinging through the air. Someone was leaning against the fence, throwing something into the air, then catching it again. Aurora shook her head as Ryou followed the group into the site. She looked over at the fence, the boy was still there.  
  
She made her way to him, he had light green hair and dark grey eyes. He was wearing dark blue khakis, and had something in his hand that gleamed in the dying sun.  
  
"That's not your's!" Aurora said, sternly. In the boy's hand was none other than the Millennium Puzzle.  
  
"I believe it is, little girl, and what are you planning to do about it anyway?" Aurora balled her fist's.  
  
"What did you do to Yugi?" The boy turned to her, his face carm and serene in comparison to Aurora's.  
  
"They'll find him eventually. I wouldn't worry, the effects won't be lasting." He looked down at the puzzle, then glanced up, eyeing Aurora in the eye, "I had better be going. Besides, isn't it past your bed time?" Aurora snarled.  
  
"I'm 16, baka." She growled, coming face to face with him. He pushed past her; quickly she flung an arm out to catch him in the side of the face, but ended up laying on the floor in a daze. He looked down at her seriously.  
  
"If you don't mind, I'll be off now." Aurora stood up, breathing heavily.  
  
"I can't let you have that," she pointed at the Puzzle.  
  
"Again, what do you plan to do about it?" The boy asked, his tone still serious.  
  
"I'll duel you for it." She said, afraid that she could do nothing else. Her hard tone has wavered, her opponent sensed the hole in her attitude.  
  
"Okay. But to Duelist Kingdom rules, we start with 2000 lifepoints, no more, no less." he said, as she nodded, but for the first time she noticed his duel disc.  
  
"Did you expect me to ask you?" He glanced down at the Duel disc.  
  
"Well, I didn't expect to get the Puzzle this easily." He backed up from her, as she searched her own bag for her duel disc.  
  
"What about the dogs?" the boy asked, he has his eye's fixed on the construction site.  
  
"They're good boys, they'll obey their master." She started her duel disc up, flinging insults at her opponent. He took each one as if she had no more than thrown a sponge at his head, but, in no retaliation he started his duel disc too.  
  
"Ladies first." He answered to her question of who would draw first. She looked at her hand, not bad for a first kick, she thought.  
  
'Maybe I should start with a decieving card.' She placed a card on the field, summoning the monester loudly.  
  
"I play Red Herring in defense mode."  
  
The boy smiled, he could see an easy duel coming.  
  
"I play Vampire Bloodhound in attack mode," he smiled at Aurora. "Attack Red Herring!" Aurora watched as Red Herring continued to make duplicates, and in pure luck, or pure skill, the boy wiped Red Herring from the field in one turn. Her lifepoints going down to 1100. She was shocked, her body quivering, she drew her next card.  
  
"I play this card in defense mode. I'm Aurora Samaki, by the way" She called, her voice not so loud this time. The boy glanced at his hand as a small furry dragon appeared on the field.  
  
"I know who you are, I'm Suayo." He again looked up, "and I pass."  
  
'This will make it a lot easier.' Thought Aurora.  
  
"I Sacarifice my Mimo Dragon to summon Taurean Gypsy in attack mode." Taurean Gypsy appeared in place of the dragon. She had a staff with the head of a bull on it, she was dressed in a red, purple and yellow cloak and her brillaint blue eye's danced in the wind. It's attack points were 2400 and defense was 2800.  
  
"Taurean Gypsy, Estus Ingruo attack, attack Suayo's Vampire Bloodhound." Suayo made no movement when his Vampire Bloodhound was wiped from play, his lifepoints reducing to 1500.  
  
"I would be afraid if I were you, Aurora, because in my ahnd is the card that is your downfall!" Suayo said, not an ounce of sarcarstic tone was detected in his voice.  
  
"Your bluffing." Aurora said, worriedly.  
  
"You better hope I am, because I summon Seal of Anubis to my field, and in exchange for 300 of my lifepoints, I wipe all your monesters from your field."  
  
"The Seal of Anubis!" Aurora cried in shock as the card destroyed her Taurean Gypsy. Aurora drew in shock.  
  
"I summon Baby Egyptian Wolf, and- oh!" Aurora looked for her Tempus Bane card, she hadn't got it in her deck.  
  
"Well, Baby Egyptian Wolf, directly attack his lifepoints!" Suayo lost 1000 lifepoints. He kept smiling.  
  
"I play Change of Heart, and now your own wolf is going to be your downfall. I place this card face down and I equipt Baby Egyptian Wolf with Mage Power, raising it's attack points to 1500."  
  
"I don't need a maths lesson, Suayo!" Aurora snapped.  
  
"Fine by me, Aurora, but say goodbye, Baby Egyptian Wolf, directly attack her life points!" The Golden wolf ran at Aurora, who defended herself with her arms.  
  
"Looks like I've won, Aurora."  
  
Aurora stood there shocked.  
  
"I-I was a push over, I lost Yugi his Millennium Puzzle." Suayo watched in silent disgust as Aurora fell to her knee's.  
  
"I thought I could win, I thought I could of beaten you." The tear's welled up now, Suayo looked away, he couldn't stand sore, blubbering losers.  
  
"I was so wrong, I underestimated your deck power. If I had known, if I had taken the duel more seriously, for what was at stake I should of..... Suayo, please!" Aurora reached for the Millennium Puzzle but Suayo grabbed it first.  
  
"A deals a deal Aurora, there's no going back. It was nice dueling you, see you again sometime, maybe you'll be more exprienced then."  
  
"You have no idea what that Puzzle means to us, it's part of Yugi." Aurora cried out, tears streaming down her face. "He'll hate me for this!"  
  
"Your loss is yours and yours alone, Aurora, you must take full responsibity for it, don't say I cheated or I used some kind of forbiddon rule. Remain a loser, not a liar. Have a nice day." With that Suayo turned his back on the crying Aurora, holding the Millennium Puzzle in his left hand. "Let's get you back to Master Damien shall we?"  
  
Aurora sneered as a figure shadowed her.  
  
"That was a foolish job of a duel I could of won in minutes." Aurora looked up, the figure overhead was Bakura.  
  
"He had a Seal of Anubis card, you don't understand the power of that card alone, each one is different, some require more power to use."  
  
"You call yourself a duelist? Maybe next time I want the Puzzle I'll just duel you for it, like taking candy from a baby." Bakura's shadow lifted from Aurora's bent heap. Her cries echoed soudly around the construction site.

* * *

(5,000 years ago)  
  
"Anubis is the one unstoppable Shadow Monester that we have all dreaded to face."  
  
"Then why bother? If it's unstoppable why try?"  
  
"Silence!" The Priest called across the chamber, the owner of the voice fell silent, "Let our Lady speak!" The brown haired Priest warned the whole clustered group.  
  
"Thankyou, Priest Set, for being so kind as to letting me speak!" The white haired woman banged her hand down on the table.  
  
"This is outragous, this monester has enough power alone to destroy the whole of Egypt,"  
  
"What do you propose we do, my lady? Destroy it?" A young boy spoke up, he was from the Seal of Anubis group.  
  
"Well, I do recall, Aiden, that this monesters presence here being your fault, as well as Priest Set's, what do you propose we do?"  
  
"The Charge of the Pharaoh was meant to keep the Creature under control."  
  
"And you weren't excactly helping that fact, were you? Going behind the Pharaoh's back to release this monester."  
  
Aiden growled almost, throwing himself to the side of the room, lost in the darkness.  
  
"The Pharaoh wasn't happy either, about you Aurora." A voice said, the cold figure also hidden in the shadows.  
  
"Bakura, you thieving horse, you told the Pharaoh?" Aurora asked, her voice strained from lack of sleep.  
  
"I might of done,"  
  
Suddenly the ground shook, the water wobbled, the underground cavern began to callapse.  
  
"The monester!" Priest Set shouted, dodging for the door after Bakura.  
  
Aurora grabbed Bakura and pulled him back.  
  
"If we die you die, Tomb robber, we made a deal."  
  
"Forget the deal." Bakura pulled away from her, "It's every man for himself here!"  
  
"Coward!" Priest Set called after the fleeing tomb robber. Aurora grabbed the table as the chamber shook again and a cry of pain was heard.

* * *

In the Pharaoh's palace the Priests stopped, Mana stood up as she saw a group of hurring villagers hurrying towards her. Priestess Isis turned to look as Aurora and Priest Set led the group.   
  
Mana started towards Aurora who grabbed her arm and shoved her roughly backwards to the Avenue of the Sphinxes.  
  
"It's coming," Aurora called, gluping as she shook. Priestess Isis looked confused up at Priest Set. A Brown horse was seen galloping out of the village, in full canter, a figure turning to look behind him ever now and then.  
  
"He's riding towards it!" A scream erupted from one villager. The horse reared, the figure barely balancing on top his steed.   
  
The ground began to shake again, the Priest's were silent, the tension unmistakable. Bakura had stopped too, his face was bloody and bleeding, his scar reopened, the monster was close but still unseen. Isis' eye's darted from side to side as the ground created a mini earthquake. Shimon Muran, the Pharaoh's adviser and Atem, the Pharaoh, came rushing out the Palace as if there was a war. Aurora began to quiver in the face of the Pharaoh.  
  
"My Pharaoh," she greeted him with a bow, as did the Villagers and the Priests.  
  
"The monester has been awoken." Isis said quickly. There was a neigh of a horse and Bakura was thrown a few feet from his brown Arab steed.   
  
A cry of pure terror rang through the village as an invisable force destropyed a stone building.   
  
The sky turned Black as night as a rumbling was heard.   
  
"Who done this?" Atem shouted at the quivering villagers and his Priests. Priest Set closed his eye's tight, as if begging.  
  
"It was-" The brown haired Priest began.  
  
"Me!" Aiden jumped in, looking at the floor. "It was my fault." The Pharaoh's face was pure rage.   
  
"You're not even from this village!" Aurora shouted.  
  
"It was your own fault too!" Aiden reminded her. Aurora looked angerily at him.  
  
"I was trying to stop this nonense from happening and you, and him and him decide to go and do what Egypt dreaded." Aurora pointed at Aiden, Priest Set and a man standing beside the Priest, "You thought you could control the Beast and Egypt, but you don't control the Beast!"   
  
"It controls you!" Atem added, rounding on his Priest's. "There is no way to stop the creature rampaging through the city,"  
  
"Egypt will be destroyed," Isis said, her gental blue eye's were cold now, "We must evacuate the Village if we have any chance."   
  
"Then we must take that chance, for there is little of it left!" Atem cried, calling for his own horse.  
  
Bakura dragged himself to his feet, the pain in his sides unbearable. With his horse gone he had no choice but to escape with the Villagers. He staggered towards the village, a man was standing at the entrance, a knowing smile on his face. Bakura fell as he reached the figure.  
  
"I knew you wouldn't make it furthur than the City outskirts, tomb robber!"   
  
Bakura dragged himself up again.  
  
"Marik!" he said with distaste.

* * *

(present time)

"Shut up, Lork!" Harris barked as he saw Ishizu lock the Museum.   
  
Her brother was infront of her, looking directly at Lork and Harris. Malik sneered and then smiled as he passed.   
  
"Enjoy the evening," he quipped as he passed them by.  
  
"Yeah! Have a nice day." Harris laughed, waiting for Ishizu to be completely gone from the Museum before they made their way to the front doors. Pulling out some skeleton keys Harris opened the back entrance easily, almost too easily.   
  
"Lets steal some gold." laughed Lork, slipping into the Museum. Harris looked around, a white-haired figure dissapeared into the shadows.  
  
'Trick of the light.' Harris convinced himself and made his way after Lork.

* * *

Suayo Katayen was standing on the sidewalk, tiredly. His duel had been easy, Aurora had been a pushover. But he wasn't one to brag.  
  
The Black limo pulled up beside him. The tinted black window rolled down to reveal Damien and Harris, both fighting comically over the Seal. The Gaint gold structure was in the back of the Limo.  
  
"You got the Puzzle?" Damien asked, looking over his shades at Suayo, who held the Gold Item up, smiling.  
  
"Brilliant, hop in and we can get going now." Damien added, opening the door. Suayo swung the Puzzle at him and knocked Harris on the head. Damien laughed,   
  
"He's like the son I never want!" The black haired man laughed, Suayo raised his eyebrow's.  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"Not far, it's called Osaka, Amerika-Mura, I have a client waiting at Osaka Aquarium that wants to buy the Puzzle."  
  
"And the Seal?" Harris asked, eyeing the Gold Artifact eagerly.  
  
"The Seal is mine, and mine alone......."

* * *

Oh, they are taking the Puzzle to Osako, for anyones knowlodge thats very near to Kyoto, where Aurora lives......  
  
anyway, R/R, thanks. 


	10. A shock and a departure

**Thanks to**:  
  
**Cyrus13**: :p stop guessing, you could be very wrong, besides, thanks anyway.  
  
**Mr. Towel**: thankyou, :)  
  
**Josh**: thanks, m8.  
  
**Shimari**: thanks again, hope you like this chapter,  
  
**BlueAngel0104**: Thanks for reviewing, is Aurora really like Kisara do you think?  
  
and  
  
**Hoping eyes**(X3): thanks huns, Aurora is fun to write!  
  
**Dedicated to**: everyone doing GCSE's, I wish you well.  
  
**Last time**:  
  
"_Looks like I've won, Aurora."  
  
Aurora stood there shocked.  
  
"I-I was a push over, I lost Yugi his Millennium Puzzle." Suayo watched in silent disgust as Aurora fell to her knee's._

_

* * *

"I knew you wouldn't make it furthur than the City outskirts, tomb robber!"   
  
Bakura dragged himself up again.  
  
"Marik!" he said with distaste.

* * *

_  
_"Lets steal some gold." laughed Lork, slipping into the Museum. Harris looked around, a white-haired figure dissapeared into the shadows.  
  
'Trick of the light.' Harris convinced himself and made his way after Lork_.

* * *

_"Where are we going?"  
  
"Not far, it's called Osaka, Amerika-Mura, I have a client waiting at Osaka Aquarium that wants to buy the Puzzle."  
  
"And the Seal?" Harris asked, eyeing the Gold Artifact eagerly.  
  
"The Seal is mine, and mine alone......."

* * *

_"YUGI!" Teá shouted, Yugi was laying on the ground in the construction site. She ran to his side and placed his head on her lap. "This is not good..." she muttered, looking for Joey or Tristan, or anyone at all. She spotted one person, Aurora!  
  
"Aurora?" Teá called, now noticing the teens distressed position on the ground.  
  
"Are you okay?" Teá asked, looking down at Yugi worried for both him and Aurora. Aurora didn't look up, she was crying heavily, Teá thought it was best to leave her for the moment.  
  
"JOEY?" The brunette shouted, "TRISTAN! SETO!" The shouting was useless, no one replied. Looking down at the fallen teenager before her she brushed a lock of his blonde hair away from his face.   
  
"I'll be back, Yugi, I promise." She didn't notice the missing Millennium Item from his neck as she stood up.   
  
She heard a cry and Seto Kaiba, Mokuba and Joey joined her quickly. Joey was the first to notice the missing Egyptian Artifact.  
  
"Da Millennium Puzzle, it's missin'!" Joey cried as he bent down next to Yugi. Teá gasped, looking around quickly.  
  
"Has anyone seen Ryou?"  
  
"Ya think he done dis?" Joey asked, looking down at his friend.  
  
"Well, Bakura has tried before, and now he's gone missing, it's too much of a coinidence for my liking."   
  
Seto glanced up at Aurora, who was wiping her tears away now. He scowled and started to turn away from Yugi, Joey and Teá.  
  
"Stop right dere, Kaiba, ya ain't goin' anywhere!" Joey said quickly in his Brooklyn accent.   
  
"Why not, Mutt? Do you really believe I would have any intrest in the Millennium Item Yugi had?" Joey stood up facing Kaiba.  
  
"It's not dat, Moneybags, Yug's hurt if ya haven't noticed, Tristan, Duke and Mai are still missin', and we don't have a clue where dey could be."  
  
"So in other words, you are worried for my welfare?" Seto asked, smirking slightly. Joey balled his fists but was cut off by Teá before he could take action on the subject.  
  
"Can we stop arguing? Now is not the time," the brunette pointed out, sensibly. Joey turned away from the CEO and looked over at Aurora, noticing her for the first time.  
  
"Aurora?" Mokuba called, running over to the wire and shouting to her.   
  
The white haired teen looked up, red eyed and sniffing.  
  
"Mokuba?" She sniffed again, "I've done a stupid thing, so stupid, I'm so stupid, so so stupid." Mokuba slipped out the hole in the wire and ran to meet her. When he reached her she envoloped him in a hug, bending down so she was almost his height. He looked akward for a second then settled into the hug. She broke down on him, hug him ever so tightly.  
  
"I won't be mad if you lot can never forgive me for what I did, especially Yugi." Mokuba squeezed out of the hug so gracefully Joey had to hold himself back from applausing.   
  
"What have you done?" Mokuba asked, his voice more serious than anyone had ever heard before. Aurora stared at him straight in the eye, her joyless stare so peircing he had to turn away from her eyeline.   
  
"I-I-I lost Yugi's Millennium Puzzle." The group stood motionless for a second, the wind blowing around them.   
  
"Ya did what?" Joey spoke up, gaping at her.   
  
"I-I lost the Millennium Puzzle in a duel, I thought I could win." Aurora stuttered as Yugi started to stir.  
  
"YUGI!" Joey and Teá said in unison. Teá was at his side and helping him sit up immidatly.  
  
It didn't take the tri haired boy long to relise what was missing.  
  
"The Millennium Puzzle! Where is it?" Yugi cried, looking around him. Joey looked down at the ground.  
  
"It's gone, Yug',"  
  
"A boy took it." Aurora said quickly.   
  
"Really?! Well, he can't use it unless he won it in a duel, and Aibou can call out to me, I can track him down that way." Yugi said, trying to get up, "We can be thankful for that at the least."  
  
"Erm, Yug', someone did duel him for it." Joey said, treading carefully on the Yugi emotional Minefield.  
  
"What? Did you lose, Joey?" Yugi asked.  
  
"Me? Naw, it was dat twit, weren't it? Aurora, da rookie, lost it!"   
  
Aurora started to cry again, backing up from the group.  
  
"I'm so, so, so sorry, I could..." she began.  
  
"Haven't ya done enough damage, ah, Rookie? Go home, go on, go home to ya mum and dad. Go bother dem with ya presence." Joey spat vilely. Aurora started to breath heavily, her breath coming in unrythmic stutters.   
  
"GO ON!" Joey roared at her, she stumbled and ran off down the road, crying constantly.   
  
"That was mean, Joey." Teá said quietly to him, "I'm not saying she didn't deserve it, because she did, but-"  
  
"Ya siding with her den?" Joey shouted at Teá, "Well go on den, see if I care!"   
  
**"I'M NOT SIDING WITH HER, JOEY, LISTEN TO ME!"** Teá cried, looking extremly annoyed.  
  
"Nah, ya listen to me, Teá! Aurora lost Yug's Millennium Puzzle, and ya know how much it means ta him, it's her fault if he never gets it back! She shouldn't be here, she is from Kyoto, maybe we should tell da police about her, get her off our backs!"  
  
"Don't you dare, Joey, that's not even something you would joke about!"  
  
"Will you two be quiet?" Seto asked, his comment went unoticed.  
  
"I ain't jokin' around, Teá,"   
  
"You've always had your friends a hundred percent behind you, what do you think would of happened if we weren't?"   
  
"When did this conversation turn ta friendship?"  
  
"Since you started mouthing off about a friend!"  
  
"You consider Aurora a FRIEND? Who needs enemies when ya have friends like dat!"  
  
"Look what Bakura did, did we disown him for that? No!"   
  
"Ryou doesn't have control over Bakura!"   
  
"Talking of Ryou, where is he?" Yugi asked, finding an off the topic subject that threaded from Te's and Joey's.   
  
"I-I couldn't find him!" A worn out voice huffed, it was Tristan, who was bent double trying to catch his breath.  
  
"Guess wat da Rookie did."  
  
"Rookie? who's the Rookie? Haven't we told you before not to put yourself down, Joe, man?" Tristan asked, truely concerned.  
  
"Not me, baka, Aurora!"  
  
"Oh, sorry mate." Tristan said, sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck, "What did she do?"  
  
"She lost Yug's Millennium Puzzle." Joey muttered as Mai and Duke joined them.   
  
"That's terrible!" Mai gasped, "Did she do it on purpose?"  
  
"Yer!" Joey shouted as Teá cried: "No!"   
  
They both glared daggers at each other.  
  
"She didn't do it on purpose, Joey!"   
  
"She obviously did, Ryou told her all about da Millennium Items and stuff."  
  
Teá rolled her eye's.   
  
"Let's just go home." Mokuba spoke up, Seto joining him outside the fence.  
  
"And don't let me ever catch you in the Construction site again," Seto added.  
  
"What about Ryou?" Yugi asked, timidly.  
  
"I'm sure he will be able to get out, if not, I am sure his 'Aibou' can find a way out, even if it means going through something, preferably a hard wall."   
  
"Dat's nice." Joey said as he stepped out the Construction site after Yugi and Tristan, "It's comforting ta know dat you care so much about people, Kaiba, I always took ya for a cold hearted, selfish bully with ta much money ta spare, I was wrong, your a cold hearted, arrogant, childish, selfish, uncarin' bully with much ta much money ta spare!"  
  
Seto shot him a look.  
  
"Arrogant, Wheeler? I can tell you a few things about arrogant people, they are generally stupid, thick, dense, conceited nobodies, oh, and they are generally called Joey Wheeler." Joey growled.  
  
"Well, you're a selfish moneybags that would take the last breath from a dying woman!"   
  
"I would take the dying breath of a dog if made too, Wheeler, bare that in mind."   
  
Tristan started to push Joey along now as the two Kaiba's started to walk away too.  
  
"Never mind him, man, he's got no friends like you have."

* * *

(the next day)  
  
Ryou Bakura woke up in a soft downy bed, he sat up straight and glanced out of the window, jumping up from the bed in suprise when he saw houses and trees moving at a tremendous speed past the window.  
  
He pulled on some clothes and opened the door to the corridor. It didn't take him long to relise he was on a train.  
  
He walked into a carriage with two old ladies chatting to one another, an old man with greying hair and a young woman with a baby in a stroller. The baby was crying constantly, the two ladies were whispering to each other about the foolish young mother who was trying to quieten the baby.  
  
Ryou walked over to the old man, who had his head deep in the daily paper.  
  
"Erm, excuse me, could you possibly tell me where this train is going." The man looked at Ryou as if he was joking for a second, then answered:  
  
"Namba, in Osaka," The man returned to his newspaper.  
  
Ryou sighed and slid down onto a seat, listening to the baby's wailing. His hand hovered over his Millennium Ring.  
  
"**WHAT** on earth have you done now?"   
  
The old man turned to about the fifth page in the newspaper and read for a second then stood up quickly, pointing directly at Ryou.  
  
"You're a thief!"

* * *

Joseph Wheeler gaped at his Math Test results. Teá and Tristan grabbed him and dragged him to the cafeteria before he could throw a fit at the teacher.   
  
"A 'D'?" Joey shouted, standing up from the table. "A 'D'?"  
  
"D for Dog, mutt!" Seto Kaiba said from his table across the cafeteria.  
  
"What did ya get den, Kaiba?"   
  
Seto sneered and said truthfully, "I took that test two years ago, and got a 'A -' slash a 'B ' and extra credit"  
  
"An A for 'Annoying' and a B for 'Baka' and da extra credit for being 'extra stupid'? They must of taken pity on ya!"  
  
Kaiba shook his head and flung that day's paper at Yugi.  
  
"You might be intrested on an artical on page 5, a little something about your friend Ryou!"  
  
The group crowded round as Yugi turned to page 5 and saw the headline. The Seal of Anubis had indeed been stolen as Ishizu had predicted.   
  
"It says here Ryou was seen as it went missing, they're accusing of him of stealing it!" Yugi gasped.   
  
"That's impossible, he was with us all the time." Teá grumbled.  
  
"Not true, he went missing remember? And it would explain why he's not here today." Tristan corrected her.   
  
The group turned as Seto Kaiba made his way out of the cafeteria.  
  
"And I bet ya believe dem, don't cha Kaiba? I bet ya'd like ta believe Ryou's a thief!" Seto turned, ready to say something back, but suprised them all.  
  
"No, Mutt, I don't believe them, but maybe you should get your priorities right before you make accusations. The Seal's gone, and the Museum are lost for suspects, obviously they are going to choose the nearest person to the Museum that night."  
  
"Ishizu knows, she said dat she knew it was going to be-" Joey was silenced by Teá and Tristan, who pulled him down on to his seat and held their hand's over his mouth.  
  
"Keep your big mouth quiet, Joey, your going to get Ishizu into trouble at this rate." Tristan muttered. Teá moved along as Duke sat down beside them.  
  
"Where's Ryou today?" He asked. Joey shoved him over the paper.  
  
"He's been accused of theft." Duke picked up the paper then dropped it again so it his Soda spilt on the floor.  
  
"What's wrong?" Yugi asked as Teá ducked under the table to get Duke's Soda can.  
  
"M-Malik Ishtar?" Duke stuttered. The group turned, Malik was indeed in the cafeteria, looking around. He spotted Yugi and waved, walking quickly over to them.  
  
"Hello." He said, courtesyly.  
  
"Hi..." Came the feeble replies that chorused round the table.  
  
"Is there something wrong Malik?" Yugi asked, the light blonde teenager looked at Yugi, noticing his Millennium Puzzle gone.  
  
"Yes, about the boy that took your Millennium Item." The table was now deeply intrested, "Well, his name is Suayo Katayen, he is from The Seal of Anubis, working for Damien Shaw. Damien has been widely intrested in Egyptian Artifacts for a while now, even trying to convince my sister to sell him some of her excavations. He's believed to be Egyptian but recent evidence told us otherwise, he comes from Kyoto and has a good dealer over in Osaka. Osaka is where they are taking the Millennium Puzzle and unless you can get there before Damien, it's going to be sold to the highest bidder."

* * *

Harris was alseep on Suayo's shoulder, who was cursing in Egyptian under his breath. He slowly pushed Harris off him and turned to Damien.  
  
"How long now?"   
  
Damien chuckled, he knew Harris had some rough times when travelling by train.  
  
"Not far now, Suayo, but I could give you some extra work to do. On this very train is Ryou Bakura, I want you to steal his Millennium Item."  
  
Suayo's face lit up, an evil grin fliting across his face.   
  
"Really? I'm on it, Master Damien, what carriage is he in?"   
  
"101, three down from here." Damien smiled, "Your much more suited to this job than Harris is."   
Suayo nodded and strutted eagerly past the carriages till he reached 101, inside a White Haired British boy was being shouted at. Crashing the door open Suayo grabbed Ryou and started to pull him out. When the old man tackled them, Suayo easily tripped him up and grabbed Ryou's Millennium Ring.   
  
"No.... you..... don't!" Ryou cried, as Suayo forced him outside and flung him against the wall of the carriage. Ryou's hair flashed in a slightly different style for a few seconds then back to normal.  
  
"Just let go, Ryou, it's quicker, easier and less painful that way." Suayo growled.  
  
Ryou was aversed to the idea of letting go of his Millennium Ring for some reason. The spirit inside was controlling his body once again. It ripped the Ring from Suayo's hand and flung the boy back against the carriage door.  
  
"No, your wrong, it's slower, harder, more painful and amusing this way." Suayo slid to the ground as he saw a quick flash of the Shadow Realm. He howled in pain.  
  
"Baka!" Suayo shouted, flying at Bakura who gracefully stepped backwards and flung Suayo against the opposite wall.   
  
Suayo leant fowards, wiping a trickle of blood from his mouth as he looked up at Bakura again.  
  
"Why have such a puny host when you could have some one stronger?"   
  
"Because it looks more effective if you suddenly throw someone into the wall with a puny body. Then again, this body isn't well suited for dragging people off the train. I hope you weren't planning on going anywhere."  
  
"Not in the slightest," Suayo grinned.  
  
"Perfect, all the more easy it is going to be to get rid of you."  
  
"Get rid of me?" Suayo asked, almost worried. The ring around Bakura's neck shone for a second.  
  
"A one way trip to the Shadow Realm will cure you of your egotism."

* * *

Yugi and his friend were just making there way outside, the heat was new to and better than the wind they had been expriencing lately. They were sat on a patch of grass, Malik still with them.   
  
Malik sighed and looked around the group, suddenly his brow furrowed in concern.  
  
"Ryou playing traunt?" He asked, mischievously, "He didn't strike me as the type."  
  
"Us neither, he's been accused of stealing the Seal of Anubis," Teá replied.  
  
"But we know he didn't, Ryou's innocent." Joey said, he was laying on the grass, looking up at the white clouds.   
  
"How can you be sure? If he was innocent he would be here today. Bakura HAS got a mind of his own, remember!" Malik reminded Joey, his voice sounded angry slightly.   
  
"Bakura wouldn't, besides your Sister knew dat Da Seal was goin' ta be stolen, why didn't she stop it den?" Joey asked, sitting up.  
  
"None of your buisness." Malik said, blankly. Joey sighed and laid back down on the green grass.  
  
"From dat way up dat cloud looks like a Dark Necrofear," Joey said.  
  
"Random." Malik commented.  
  
"I hope Ryou's okay," Teá smiled hopefully, looking up at the blue sky.

* * *

The girl was walking slowly towards the coach station, every now and again sniffing.   
  
"May I help you dear?" The lady at the infomation kiosk asked her.  
  
"Yes, can I have an adult ticket to...." Aurora asked from beneath her hoody. She drew out a neatly written note, "Hold on one mo."   
  
She sat down in a chair and read through the note again.  
  
_'Dear A. Samaki,  
  
I cannot understand the suffering that you must be feeling over Yugi's loss of his Millennium Puzzle, although to be honest it was intierly your fault.   
  
The loss could actually mean a gain for us, now this 'Damien Shaw' can be easily tracked. Take the next coach home, to Kyoto, you are to no longer be involved in this escapade, it is best left to Yugi as no doubt he will do anything to retrieve his Millennium Puzzle.  
  
Damien Shaw and the Seal of Anubis has left to Osaka,   
  
Goodbye, Aurora, I doubt we will ever see each other again, you have caused far too much trouble already.  
  
Yours Sincerely,  
  
I. Ishtar.'   
_  
Aurora pressed the note neatly back into a square.  
  
"I may have caused too much trouble, but there is no way I am going home without a fight." She stepped up to the infomation Kiosk again.  
  
"One Adult ticket to Osaka," She drew some money from her dog walking out from her pocket, outside was a whimpering Jessy and the two Great Danes.  
  
"There you are dear, thankyou, the train you booked for leaves tommorow at Five o'clock." Aurora glanced over to Jessy, she couldn't leave Jessy here with no one to care for her.  
  
"Okay, whatever," was her last muttered words, she slowly returned to Jessy and undid the leads from where they were tied round a pole.  
  
Slowly the white haired girl made her way down the street, she passed a mirror in the antiques store.  
  
She touched her hair, not many people had white hair. She HAD to do something about the amount of attention her hair attracted.   
  
She saw a teen playing in the street with his mates, so depressed, she didn't even bother to snap at him, she just walked on, unoticed.... 


	11. Detention and leaving

_oh my ra, so many reviews, thankyou everyone :D thankyou sooo much._

**_(a/n: I'm sorry if this chapter offends anyone at all, it is not my intention to do so)_**

**thanks to: Mr. Towel:** Thanks, Dude.

**Cyrus13:** thanks for the review, ducks from Mr.Pointy shall I rename Ms.Pointy, Mrs.Pointy?

**Fushicho Hime**: thankyou, thankyou.

**dragonmaster01:** dont feel sorry for Aurora, I dont. lol, anyway, thanks, you were my very first reviewer. thanks, i'm not going to leave you hanging for long...

and

**hoping eyes:** thanks huns, yeah, girls stand up for each other, I just wish boys would stand up for me ;) lol, to anyone who understood that joke, i'm kidding.

* * *

**Last time:** _Aurora started to cry again, backing up from the group. "I'm so, so, so sorry, I could..." she began. "Haven't ya done enough damage, ah, Rookie? Go home, go on, go home to ya mum and dad. Go bother dem with ya presence." Joey spat vilely. Aurora started to breath heavily, her breath coming in unrythmic stutters. "GO ON!" Joey roared at her, she stumbled and ran off down the road, crying constantly._

* * *

_"WHAT on earth have you done now?" The old man turned to about the fifth page in the newspaper and read for a second then stood up quickly, pointing directly at Ryou. "You're a thief!"_

* * *

"_Not in the slightest," Suayo grinned. "Perfect, all the more easy it is going to be to get rid of you." "Get rid of me?" Suayo asked, almost worried. The ring around Bakura's neck shone for a second. "A one way trip to the Shadow Realm will cure you of your egotism." _

* * *

_"I may have caused too much trouble, but there is no way I am going home without a fight." She stepped up to the infomation Kiosk again. "One Adult ticket to Osaka," She drew some money from her dog walking out from her pocket, outside was a whimpering Jessy and the two Great Danes._

* * *

Yugi couldn't concentrate, his mind kept wandering. Wandering back to Ryou's dissaperance, was he ok? Where was he? Why he did he go? "MR. MUTO?! COULD YOU PLEASE TELL US WHAT IS SO INTRESTING YOU FIND IT IS MORE IMPORTENT THAN PAYING ATTENTION IN CLASS?" Ms. Tenschu bellowed in Yugi's ear. Yugi jumped slightly, knocking his maths text book to the floor. His sheet's inside his book flew out and floated slowly to the floor too.

"Yugi Muto," Ms. Tenschu slammed her thick lesson planner down hard infront of him, "Answer me. What is so intresting you feel you have the right to ignore the instructions I have been shouting at you for the last five minutes?" Yugi looked awkwardly towards to Joey, Tristan and Teá, who were both as shocked as him. "Answer me!" Ms. Tenschu proceeded. "I want to continue with this lesson, but until you give me a reasonable answer, I'm afraid you're wasting this class's Lunch." Around the class was groans, replacing the admirable grins.

"But Ms, it's unfair to blame us all for Yugi's short attention span." A black haired boy stood up, worriedly. "Sit down Mr. Kashi, I make the rules here, and if Mr Muto doesn't speak up soon, you will all be in detention for Lunch." The black haired boy sneered and sat back down in his seat. "Mr. Muto, tell me what is so intresting now!" Ms. Tenschu cried, putting her hands on her hip.

'Think of something quick.' Yugi thought, he was all out of excuses.

"Say the truth." Mouthed Teá over and over, Joey was looking worriedly at Yugi along with Tristan and Duke. "Ms. Tenschu, I have the reason why-" Teá began, standing up.

"Oh, do sit down Ms. Gardener, there are too many voices in this class already. Besides, Yugi has a tongue, he can speak for himself if he desires." Ms. Tenschu said impatiently. Yugi's heart was racing now, trying to think of an excuse. He was getting his friends into trouble by not answering, but he couldn't come up with excuses like Joey and Tristan could. Ms. Tenschu strode back up the classroom to the board. Joey slipped Yugi a note. Yugi read it quickly and grinned sheepishly as Ms. Tenschu turned to him again, waiting his answer. Joey's idea was worth a shot.

"I was, I was thinking about a girl." The class roared with laughter and banged their hands against the desks. They knew this was one of the oldest excuses ever, but Ms. Tenschu was stern, but gulliable.

She shook her head, "I should of guessed." She turned to the jeering class and silenced them. "See me after lesson so we can arrange a time for detention." The class whistled at this.

"Got yourself a girlfriend then, Yugi?" A boy asked.

"Ohhh, but he's got Ms. Tenschu now, Johnny." Another girl laughed, elbowing the boy, who seized up in laughter.

"That's quite enough of that now," Ms. Tenschu said seriously.

The rest of the lesson passed quite uneventful, except for Joey's accident with his fountian pen and spilling ink down Te's skirt. Yugi's attention was again slipping towards the end of class. He rested his head in his hands as he was lost in thought.

"Ohhh, Yugi, why you staring at Teá?" The squealy girl that had joked about Yugi liking Ms. Tenschu asked.

"It's because he likes her!" Johnny laughed. Yugi blushed seriously and replied sheepishly: "I do not like Teá, not in that way." Johnny bent double in laughter.

"It's obvious, Yugi, I've seen the way you stare at her every lesson, I don't know how you could like that chatty, miss friend-"

"Like ta finish dat sentence, Johnny? 'Coz I promise if ya do, it'll be da last one ya ever finish." The tall Blonde growled at Johnny. Johnny watched as Joey straightened himself and threatened him from the seat behind. The desk next to him was, as unusual as it was, empty.

"Where's Ryou?" Johnny asked.

"None of ya buisness, Kashi!" Joey added, his eye's glancing to Ryou's empty seat. Johnny sneered, allowing Nikoshi Harish, the girl beside him, have a comment.

"He's been accused of theft and probably bunking off. I heard that his dad never comes home, and when he does, Ryou always come to school with bruises, I bet he beats him." Teá gasped, and Joey said loudly:

"Ya better take dat back, Harish, Ryou's dad wouldn't do such a thing."

"Who does it then? Or does he do it himself?" Nikoshi turned to her friend beside her. "You know that Ryou Bakura? He self-harms." The girl gasped and got ready to pass on the message when Joey and Tristan stopped her.

"Don't even think about it, Ryou doesn't self-harm, maybe it's a coincidence he has bruises on him," Tristan said.

"And dere, look, ya have a bruise but ya don't self-harm do ya, Harish? So shut up and stop spreading rumours. Ya big mouth will get ya in trouble someday, ya stupid baka-" Joey pointed out just as Ms. Tenschu turned around.

"Mr. Wheeler! Mr. Taylor! Sit down!" The class breathed a sigh of anticipated relief when the bell rang. "Yugi Muto, Joseph Wheeler and Tristan Taylor stay where you are. You're all in detention." Joey groaned and bashed his head against the desk, Ms. Tenschu reached his desk first as the rest of the class left. "Third time this week, Joseph, it's not good enough. Three detentions in just the span of seven days. I will let you and Tristan off this time, but anymore misbehaving in my class and I'll have you here on a Sataday. Now go, don't wait for Mr. Muto, he won't be out for a long time."

"We'll still wait for ya Yug', don't worry." Joey said, flashing his best friend a thumbs up. Yugi smiled misarably back, watching as Ms. Tenschu made her way to his desk, she pulled a chair up beside his desk. For a minute he thought she was going to lecture him, but she talked about something completly off topic.

"Yugi, could you tell me where Ryou Bakura is? We've had no phone calls from his father or anything, the schools worried for his safty." Yugi looked up from his desk, where he was reading about someone or other's love intrest's.

"I don't know, Ms. Tenschu, I don't know where Ryou is," Yugi said truthfully. Ms. Tenschu nodded rather sadly.

"Well, what can I make you do for your detention then? The toilets are all clean seeing as Mr. Wheeler and Mr. Taylor cleaned them yesterday for their detentions. The floors are clean. Maybe- ah yes," She picked a piece of paper up and scribbled a note on it, handing it to Yugi, "Take this to Mr. Hirto and then when you come back I'll have all the tools ready you'll need."

"Need for what Ms?" Yugi asked, curiousity getting the better of him.

"For cleaning the gum off the bottom of the tables. Now hurry." Yugi left his bag on the desk and walked quickly down the corridor to the principal's office. He stopped suddenly when he saw a tall, lanky looking black haired teenager. Jack Maya, the school's third worst bully to bump into. Jack pointed in Yugi's direction and Yugi, remembering he no longer had his Millennium Puzzle, turned to flee. But Jack had the collar of his shirt way before Yugi had even turned.

"Look what I got, a Shortbread!" Jack laughed, throwing Yugi to his even taller friend, who was laughing hard.

"What ya doing then, Porcupine Midget?" A Ginger haired boy laughed, shoving Yugi down. Yugi winced as he landed awkwardly on his ankle. It was if something inside him stirred, as if there was still some of his 'Other Half' in him. He stood up again, ignoring the screaming pain in his ankle. Jack sneered, he hadn't expected Yugi to stand up again so quickly, his recovery had been almost unhuman.

"Hey, ya leave him alone Ginger Nut!" A shout erupted from one end of the corridor, it was Joey, he was walking towards the two bullies.

"Why should we, Mutt?" Jack asked, knowing his comment would touch a nerve in Joey.

"'Coz no-one bullies our friend and gets away with it." Tristan agreed, joining Joey in walking slowly and dauntingly towards Jack and the Ginger haired boy. Yugi could now see fear in Jack's eye's, he was no where near as tough or daring as Joey or Tristan. He looked them up and down, then turned his eye's to Yugi.

"Don't let us see ya around here again," He glared at Yugi, "Go on, smile, tommorow will be worse."

"And we know you're not dating Gardener, Muto, you couldn't get a date even if you brought them dried in a tin."

"And as for Bakura, we're glad he's gone. He's one of 'you'." Jack said, sneering.

"Go get ya bear costume and take a long walk in da forest during hunting season, Maya, do us all a favour." Joey added, angry. Jack and 'Ginger-nut' started to walk off, but Jack turned and was about to hack up a spit for Joey when Yugi innocently put his foot out, making Jack lose balance and fly face first on to the floor.

"Oh, we're sorry, did we hurt ya?" Joey asked, trying not to laugh.

"You're dead Wheeler, and you Taylor and especially you Muto."

"Aww, Yugi, don't ya feel loved? Your special to Jack." Tristan smiled.

"And dat's a funny comment, Jack, we don't actually feel dead..." Joey replied, "Don't ya ever bully our friends or insult dem behind thier back's again." Jack and 'Ginger nut' fled around the corner. Yugi sighed heavily, folding the notes bent corners back. "What's dat, Yug'?" Joey asked, walking over to the young teenager.

"A note, for Mr Hirto," Yugi added quickly as Joey took it from him, "I don't think you should be reading that Joey!" He warned.

"Ah, there's no harm, Yug'. It's nothing big, just saying to phone ya Grandpa to let him know ya're staying behind to.... clean chewing gum off the bottom of the desks?" Joey winced, "Have a good time mate, it sounds fun." he joked.

Tristan read the note too, "Yeah, Te's waiting outside too. We saw Jack and decided to follow, that disgusting little-"

"Tristan, Joey, you'd better go. If they find you at school after hours they'll give you another detention!" Yugi cut Tristan off to warn them. "Now why would dey do dat? Dey know me and Trist love doing extra work." Joey smirked, "See ya later, Yug', don't work too hard."

"I won't." Yugi sighed, as his two friends turned from him and walked back towards the school entrance. He started walking again, his ankle still painfully annoying him. He regretted getting up again so quickly after being pushed down, but he was deep in thought about why he had done so. It wasn't like him at all, then again, since the Puzzle had gone missing he hadn't exactly been himself. He stopped and turned as he heard footsteps, Teá was hurtling towards him. She caught up with him and grabbed his sleeve, breathing heavily.

"Teá? Are you okay?" Yugi asked, worriedly. He looked up, bent double.

"Yeah, listen, I just heard that Ryou's been seen on a train to Osaka!" She gasped.

"Osaka? Why would he-"

"The Puzzle, Yugi, Bakura!" Teá managed to splutter a few words then took a deep breath, "Bakura wants the Puzzle!"

* * *

Suayo took a deep breath, looking around he tried to get up. He couldn't tell if his eyes were open or not, the darkness seeped through his vision. "Baka!" He mumbled, getting up he frowned. "So _this_ is the Shadow Realm?" he scoffed, "Nothing." he laughed. He suddenly turned, he could hear something but he couldn't tell what it was. "Hello?" he asked. He shook his head, he was turning paraniod. He laughed to himself and sighed, without warning he took a sharp intake of breath. Suayo screamed. The pain was unbearing, and without another sound the darkness consumed his soul....

* * *

Aurora was at the front of the Kaiba mansion, ringing frantically for the ninth time on the doorbell. She tapped her foot inpatiently, "Come on!" she complained, the door swung open and a man stood there.

"Who are you?" He asked, grumpily.

"I don't have time for you, Jeeves. Get Mokuba Kaiba here please, or, let me come in..." she peeked inside the house, "Oh, and chain me to you, I don't want to get lost, it's a bit... too spacy." she muttered, brushing some white hair into place. He man sighed and led her in, to a room with a tank of fish. "Flashy," she commented, sitting down. A few minutes later, Mokuba appeared at the doorway.

"Aurora? Why are you here?" Mokuba asked, frowning.

"Look, I have no time to explain. Can you take care of a good friend of mine? She won't be much trouble and she's great fun-" Aurora started, then seeing Seto Kaiba appear behind his brother. "Afternoon, Seto." she said pleasently, "What's wrong? Work loosing it's appeal?"

"I suggest you don't make any failed attempts to insult me, Aurora, or I'll have you removed from my house." Seto growled.

"This is your house? And there was me thinking I was visiting Buckingham Palace." She grinned, "that's a compliment, Workaholic." She pointed out.

"Just get on with it!" The older Kaiba sneered.

"You want me to look after a friend?" Mokuba asked, frowning at the teenager on the sofa.

"Not any old friend, a dog I walk."

"Absolutely not!" Seto said, angrily, "I am not having a walking flea bag trashing my house up!"

"I wasn't talking about Joey." Aurora joked, Seto frowned at her and she waved off her joke. "Oh, please." She begged.

"Yeah, please, Seto. You've never let me have any pets!" Mokuba said, begging too.

"Mokuba, who do you expect to look after it? It needs feeding, lots of exercise, playing with and what if it gets hurt? It's a walking heartbreak just waiting to happen." He said, with distaste.

"Come on, we have butlers and stuff.... can't they buttle?" Mokuba asked, watching Aurora's wide grin out the corner of his eye. She was watching the discussion like a particularly intresting tennis match. Seto closed his eyes and sighed; Mokuba smirked; Aurora jumped up from the couch.

"Sorted, I have her leash, water and food bowl, food to last a week and some of her favourite toys at home, I'll just go grab them!" Aurora said, "Thankyou so much, I was worried what i was going to do with her. This is the owners phone number, they come home in two weeks. Phone them then, they'll pick her up from here."

"Hold on, she already has owners?" Mokuba's face fell, "Oh well."

"Her names Jessy."

"The mutt you brang to the Museum Exhibt?" Seto asked, disgusted, "It was very badly behaved."

"It's not an 'it' it's a Jessy, and she was excited, she's very well trained really." Aurora promised. Mokuba grinned.

"I'll help you get her stuff." Aurora thanked him and they walked to the door, passing a maid who was cleaning hard.

"You missed a spot." Aurora grinned, pointing to the top of a polished table.

* * *

Aurora passed the ticket man her ticket and handed some Porters her luggage, throwing it into their arms. Pretty glad she had chosen the train rather than coach now.

"Watch it!" she said, angerily, helping one hold her bag properly. "Now, to Kyoto!" She grinned, stepping on the train. She was sitting on a seat when she saw someone she didn't expect to. The Train started to move, her gaze was fixed on the people outside though, some people who had just noticed her.

"Hey!" Joey shouted, "Aurora!" He ran into the Train station but he was thrown back by some Porters. Yugi, Teá and Tristan caught up with him. "Where's that train going?" Joey asked, angerily, grabbing the collar of a Porters shirt.

"O-Osaka!" The man spluttered. Joey threw him from him and turned to the rest of them.

"She's gone after the Puzzle!" Yugi said suddenly. "She's going to try and get it back!"

"God, 'elp us all!" Joey muttered, watching as the Train dissapeared out of view....


	12. The Missing

**Thankyou to:**

**xXxStrawberry WitchxXx: **thanks for the review, I live to make people laugh.

**Fushicho Hime: **yes, I Finally Updated.... thanks for the review!

**Mr Towel: **thankyou for your review dude

* * *

Last time:

_"Teá? Are you okay?" Yugi asked, worriedly. He looked up, bent double._

_"Yeah, listen, I just heard that Ryou's been seen on a train to Osaka!" She gasped._

_"Osaka? Why would he-" _

_"The Puzzle, Yugi, Bakura!" Teá managed to splutter a few words then took a deep breath, "Bakura wants the Puzzle!" _

* * *

_"Come on, we have butlers and stuff.... can't they buttle?" Mokuba asked, watching Aurora's wide grin out the corner of his eye. She was watching the discussion like a particularly intresting tennis match. Seto closed his eyes and sighed; Mokuba smirked; Aurora jumped up from the couch._

_"Sorted, I have her leash, water and food bowl, food to last a week and some of her favourite toys at home, I'll just go grab them!" Aurora said, "Thankyou so much, I was worried what i was going to do with her. This is the owners phone number, they come home in two weeks. Phone them then, they'll pick her up from here."_

_"Hold on, she already has owners?" Mokuba's face fell, "Oh well." _

_"Her names Jessy."_

* * *

_"Where's that train going?" Joey asked, angerily, grabbing the collar of a Porters shirt._

_"O-Osaka!" The man spluttered. Joey threw him from him and turned to the rest of them._

_"She's gone after the Puzzle!" Yugi said suddenly. "She's going to try and get it back!"_

_"God, 'elp us all!" Joey muttered, watching as the Train dissapeared out of view...._

* * *

Ryou Bakura awoke in his room on the train for the second time, he remembered the fight with Suayo... well, part of it. He looked down, the Ring still hung round his neck, a good sign right? Or was it a bad one? His head hurt from being flung against the wall. His memory of what Bakura had done a complete blur. He slowly sat up as the train started to slow to a halt. Ryou rushed outside the compartment and out the train before anyone noticed it was him, he sighed heavily and looked down at the ring again, trouble was out and about. He pulled the gold Egyptain artifact off his neck and put it saftly in his bag, walking quickly as another train pulled up opposite the one he had taken. He watched the passengers get off the train and began to turn away when someone grabbed his shoulder, he gasped.

"I thought you were-" He was cut off by Suayo, he's eyes were dancing, in a rebellious way.

"- Well, obviously... I'm not," he said quickly, "Listen, shut up and come with me, Damien thinks I'm out of action."

Ryou stopped before following, "How do I know I can trust you? You tried to... kill me I guess." Ryou replied, looking around to make sure no one heard him.

"I'll explain, it's not you I'm trying to... _kill_." Suayo countered, looking exasperated. "Simply, it's him." he added, pointing to the Millenium ring in Ryou's bag.

"What on earth would you have with my... other half?" Ryou asked, finding this a very strange conversation to have in public, but Suayo seemed relaxed, as if this happened every day.

"We can't speak here, come on." The light green haired boy told the white haired one, grabbing his arm and dragging him out of the train station.

* * *

Ryou was sat on a chair, in a small cafe.

"Let me get this straight, Bakura... beat you in something and now you've come to kill him?" Ryou asked, looking astounded. "That's absurd... what did you say your name was again?"

Suayo's mind sprang to action, "Rob." he said quickly, "Robin..."

"As I was saying, _Rob, _it's outragous to just kill someone for beating you in something." Ryou said, looking down at his bag. Suayo tried to relax, but every muscle in his body had to be ready for this moment. Ryou made the move he wanted, he reached for the Ring, opening the bag. Suayo moved quickly, within seconds he'd sprang into action, holding Ryou back as his other hand grabbed the Ring. Ryou fell backwards as Suayo pushed him.

"I shouldn't of trusted you." Ryou shouted, how could Suayo do this in broad daylight? The green haired boy was already out the door, the Ring clasped tightly in his hand. He ran, feeling the pain as his foot touched down on every stride. Ryou had been so gulliable, so easy to decieve, it had easily been the most shortest assignment he'd expreincied.

Suayo was running when he crashed into someone, who fell back and dropped her bag.

"Watch it buster!" she snapped up him, Suayo looked up into the blue eyes of Aurora Samaki. She looked down at the Ring in his hand, up at Suayo's face and quickly made the calculations. He narrowly ducked her fist and scrambled under her arm, and ran again. She turned to run after him then looked back at her bag. Grabbing it she ran the opposite way; Ryou had to be here somewhere.

Ryou looked up and saw a white haired girl pass, he frowned, it couldn't be Aurora, she'd left for Kyoto, he reminded himself and sat up again. He leant back on the chair and held his head in his hand... he couldn't believe how easy he'd lost the Millenium Ring.

* * *

Yugi watched Joey and Tristan play at the arcade, and turned to see Teá offering him an icecream.

"What are we going to do about-"

"Da Rookie?" Joey butted in, Teá glared at him.

"She just happens to not be as good as you Joey! You're not as good as Yugi but does he label you Rookie?" she asked, almost dropping her icecream. Joey just turned away and continued to play on the game with Tristan, who had turned to watch the two talk.

"I think you're being too soft on her, for one!" Tristan told Teá, who glared at him in turn. "What do you think Yugi? I mean, she lost your Millenium Puzzle, if it had been the other way around she would of thrown a fit and axe murdered you."

"I wouldn't say that Tristan, but... true,"

"Ya have all da right in da world to hate, dispise and detest her, Yug'." Joey added, his eyes still intent on the game. "So don't abuse da right."

"I don't want to hate, dispise and detest her Joey... we've all made mistakes." Yugi replied, looking down at his icecream.

"I'm just sayin', ever since she came here we've had nothing but bad luck. First these great dogs attack us, den da Millenium Puzzle goes walkies, den Ryou and da Seal goes missin', then Aurora goes off after dem!" Joey said, "I mean, for all we know, Ryou could be lying in a ditch, covered in blood-"

"Too graphic Joey!" Teá said, "Ryou is _not _dead,"

"What proof is dere of dat?" Joey replied. Teá didn't reply for a moment, all eyes were on her.

"Because I just know. He has Bakura with him, and if anyone can take care of themselves, it's him." Her now sad, faraway look detoured Joey from replying, and the 'subject of the day' was left to rest for now.

"Icecream anyone?" Tristan asked, leaving the game to take an icecream off Teá, she thanked him for changing the topic with a smile. "Toffee! The best flavour ever!"

"Chocolate's the best!" Joey replied, getting up and taking his icecream.

"But Toffee is tasty!" Tristan countered, pitifully.

"Chocolate is a classic!" And so the debate carried on all down the street, Teá and Yugi on the sidelines, making sure there was a referee in this match to stop the fight before it got too much.

They were all gathered in the Turtle Game Shop when the door opened and Ishizu and Malik entered. Yugi smiled at them, Joey was expressionless, he just coughed and turned to look at Teá, who was listening carefully.

"She went didn't she?" Malik said, before Ishizu could say anything, "The complete baka!"

"Hold on, no one but me and Tristan can insult Aurora!" Joey snapped, Malik just shrugged and Ishizu stepped in before anything could happen.

"I should of seen this, she's made a mess of this now, Ryou Bakura has lost the Millenium Ring." she informed them. Yugi sat up straight, completely alert.

"How? Who took it?" He asked, wondering if someone was after all the Items.

"The very same person that took your Millenium Puzzle." Ishizu replied, as the door of the Turtle Game Shop opened again and Duke entered, Joey's face become angry because Duke wasn't alone... he was with Serenity.

"What are you doing with ma-" Joey began, as Mai entered after them, he closed his mouth quickly and looked at them. "Joinin' the party?" he asked.

"No, actually, we got a phone call to come here." Duke told Joey. "What's the emergancy?" The group exchanged looks, no one had made a phone call for them to come... Yugi was the first to realise it, though.

"A trap." he muttered, almost as on cue three gaint dog like creatures appeared outside.

"Why can't they use doors like the rest of us?" Mai asked, backing up into Joey, who pushed her behind him as the dogs came in, snarling and baring fangs. Yugi's eyes darted to Ishizu and Malik.

"They want the Items." He reminded them. He could just imagine Malik resisting, but this creatures seemed to of scared them both into silence. There was no way of fighting them, they looked too strong and intimidating, Ishizu's hand darted to her neck, in a natural reaction. She was unwilling to give up the Millenium Necklace, but also very unwilling to die. Yugi backed up, silently.

"What are we gonna do?" Joey asked him in a whisper. Yugi looked at him, quizzically.

"What gave you the idea I know?" he asked, "We could give them the Items, and live, or not give them the Items and die..." Yugi looked over at Mai, who was fiddling with her purse, she looked up at him, not looking scared, not looking too thrilled either. Yugi stepped back, so the formation was broken and Mai could step out from behind Joey, who turned to stop her. She stepped under hius arm and held out her perfume, straing it into the eyes of the first dog. It howled and pawed at it's own eyes, knocking back into the dog behind it. The group took the chance and scattered, all making for the door. Yugi bent double and looked around.

"Malik?" he asked, quietly, looking for the blond. He looked up at Ishizu who was battling with herself, her fear of the dogs and the love for her brother. "He'll be okay." Yugi assured her.

"What on earth are ya doin' with perfume in ya bag?" Joey asked Mai, who frowned at him.

"You should be on your knees and thanking me!" she snapped at him, looking him in the eye, "I just saved your life!"

"Ya could of been killed!" he told her.

"And you care why?" she asked, a small smile playing on her face. He opened his mouth to counter but shut it quickly again.

"Because... because I care what happens to ya Mai." he told her, defiantly. She turned away from him to look at Yugi, smiling broadly and holding back a laugh.

"It doesn't matter now, everyone's fine." Teá said, breaking the moment which seemed, to her, very tense. "No Items are missing."

"But Malik is missing!" Yugi replied, he was watching Joey turn red now.

"Yeah, well, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, let's go get icecream!" Joey replied.

"You are so self centered, Joey!" Mai replied, "I was going to go shop!"

"To the arcade!" Tristan smiled, starting to walk off. Te's mouth dropped open.

"We've just been attacked by huge dogs and Malik is missing and all you lot can think about is food, shopping and games?" she asked.

"That about rounds it up, Teá, let's face it, he had it coming." Mai replied. "Come on Serenity, we can still catch the sales if we go now..."

"You're just... so..." Teá was unable to finish her sentence, "Fine! Fine! Me and Yugi will go and look for Malik ALONE!" she snapped. She looked around for Yugi, who was behind her.

"You're with me on this right? I mean, Malik IS human, and nothing deserves to be stuck with those creatures!"

* * *

Yugi found he had to drag himself out of bed the next morning. They still hadn't found Malik yet and he was beginning to worry. He was going to go look for him again with Teá, maybe they could even beg Joey and Tristan into helping. So many thoughts ran through his mind... What did the creatures want with Malik besides the Millenium Rod? Where was Malik? Was he okay? He only grew more agitated as he thought ths and hurriedly ate his breakfast.

"Got to be somewhere Grandpa bye!" Yugi said, running out the door of the Turtle Game shop fast. He was halfway down the road when he saw Mokuba... being pulled along by a collie dog. He reconised it faintly... The dog Aurora had brought to the musuem!

"Hello Yugi!" Mokuba said, cheerfully as Jessy stopped to sniff some intresting smell on the ground.

"Hey Mokuba, what are you doing with Aurora's dog?" Yugi replied, wondering why exactly he was standing around to find out.

"She asked me to look after it." Mokuba replied, "What are you doing out without your friends?" he asked.

"Malik went missing yesterday, I was going to go to Te's, we're trying to find him." Mokuba nodded as if this explained all.

"Good luck!" the boy said to Yugi as Jessy dragged him off again. Yugi watched them for a minute before turning and walking hurriedly to the Gardener residence.

"Hey Yug'!" Joey greeted his friend, Yugi smiled; this meant Teá had convinced Joey somehow. "Ready ta look for the missing Malik?"

"Ready as ever Joey. I just saw Mokuba walking Aurora's dog." he informed them. Teá and Joey exchanged glances.

"We know Yugi... we saw him too, it's a bit too strong for him." The brunette girl replied.

Joey hid a laugh, "How he ever convinced Moneybags ta let him keep it is mystery ta us all."

Later that day the three were still searching, but to no avial. They had to eventually face it... Malik was gone.

"It's impossible!" Teá complained, siting down on the sofa in her house, "no one just dissapears!"

"Well, Malik ain't like the rest of us is he? He has ta be special and go missing and get us all ta be looking for him!" Joey started, but Yugi looked up at him, he quickly shut up about Malik being different.

"Why would anyone want him though?" Yugi asked.

"I wouldn't worry, they'll give him back pretty quickly."

"Joey!" Teá growled at her friends comment, "stop being nasty to him, if it was you we wouldn't be going on about how they'd give you back quickly."

"Nah, us lot ain't really good with the truth." Tristan sighed, Joey didn't even reply, they were all looking out the window... Where _was _Malik?

* * *

The boy sat up, rubbing his head angerily. He looked around, he seemed to be in a hotel room or something. He checked the door but it was locked from the outside.

Malik sighed. He looked at his new surroundings... walking to the Kitchen something caught his eye. He swallowed; on the table was the Millenium Ring and the Millenium Rod... and the Millenium Puzzle. He reached over to grab them when someone slapped his hand back.

"You?" he asked, in astonishment.

"Me!" came the reply, "Don't touch them or you'll get us in more trouble."

"How did you come to be here then?"

"Long story short I had a run in with the wrong kind." Malik looked up at the person on the other side of the table, they were eating a chocolate bar.

"Why didn't you do as my sister told you to?"

"One thing about me Malik, I'm nobodies slave."

"Is that so? Or are you nobodies fool?" he expected the person on the other side to get mad, but they didn't. Aurora just smiled.

"Guess who's lying on the sofa asleep." she told the teenager.

"I'm not good with guessing games... who is it?" came the emotionless reply.

"Ryou." Aurora snapped, chucking the chocolate wrapper in the bin.

"Ah... okay, so... how did you get here?" Malik repeated.

"Has anyone told you how annoying you are?" Aurora asked, looking at Malik, then looking at the gathered Millenium Items. "Just leave me be, I didn't ask to be stuck in a hotel room with any of you, that's all you need to know!" she snapped, walking to the door and pulling hard on the door handle. Malik watched her in amusement. When she finally gave up she walked to the sofa and almost sat on Ryou.

"Come on, give us some room!" she snapped at the sleeping white haired boy.

"Do you see any connection with the people that are here?" Malik asked, as Ryou awoke.

".... I can't say I do." Aurora replied, not looking over at him.

"2 of us have Millenium Items?" Ryou asked, sleepily.

"No. All of us had a past 5,000 years ago." Malik said.

"But... you said your other half was made out of-"

"It was!" Malik sighed, "But we all have a past 5,000 years ago. Maybe I slipped on the details a bit, but so did my sister!" Aurora rolled her eyes.

"Will you shut up for one minute about your sister?" she asked, "I'm not intrested in playing a game of 'guess my family tree'. My past is my past, maybe I did live 5,000 years ago but that person wasn't me! Maybe I did know you lot possibly 5,000 years ago but this is different, this is now, this is the present, and for the present we're all stuck in a hotel room in the middle of Osaka with no way of escaping. Why are we here? Why do they want us? What the hell do they plan to do with us?"

"That's the same as 'why do they want us?'." Malik said, dryly.

"No it's not, why do they want us and what are they going to do with us are completely different things baka! They might want us because of out 'pasts' and they might decide kill us all." She snapped back, pulling her legs up to her chest.

"Oh, I do hope so if you don't shut up!" Malik replied, "I'd rather be buried alive than listen to you whine!"

"That can be arranged!" Aurora growled, looking at him with a sneer.

"Stop fighting. As long as we're here we have to get along together. That means no fighting!" Ryou pleaded.

"I'm jumping off the balcony," Aurora informed them. "If being alive means I need to get along with you lot I'd rather be dead."

"Well be my guest and jump," Malik told her, holding the balcony door open for her. She opened her mouth and shut it again quickly, she hadn't expected that reaction. Malik just smirked and slammed the door shut again.

"So... do we expect to see Yugi here anytime soon?" Ryou asked as Aurora left the sofa to sit in armchair where Malik couldn't see her. No one replied, but they all looked up when the door opened. Aurora jumped up, ready to fight her way out if needed. Damien stepped in, smiling broadly. Aurora watched him carefully as he walked around the room.

"Good afternoon." he said to them all.

"You're dead!" Aurora cried at him, "you're holding us against our will, this is kidnap, this is illegal, this s-"

"Shut up, can't you see the guy couldn't care less about what was illegal and what isn't?" Malik asked. Aurora looked over at him, for the first time worry replaced her angered expression.

"Well, thankyou all for the Millenium Items... my client will be extremly impressed with them." Damien smiled. Aurora turned her head back to him and gritted her teeth.

"Look, the Millenium Items still belong to Ryou and Malik, your client can't actually use them... Can he?" she asked the two boys quickly. Damien just walked to the Kitchen and picked the Millenium Items up. Aurora watched him, as he taunted her about her loss.

"My 'employee' told me how _great _you are at dueling, Aurora. He said you were fantasic... fantasically easy." Aurora tried to calm herself, but it wasn't working. "He also informed me of your loss to Yugi Muto... now, that was a failure. Tell me, did you intend to lose or was it accidental?"

Aurora got up and walked to him then, "I'm just as good as anyone in this room, and I'll prove it, I challange you... right here, right now. You win, you can walk away with all the Millenium Items and you can taunt me for the rest of my life, I win, you hand all of the Items back to their respectful owners!"

Damien smiled, this could be amusing.

"Aurora... why don't me or Malik duel in your-" Ryou began.

"No, listen to me, I'm going to prove to you all, especially Bakura, that I can duel just as well as anyone. Non, I'm not certain I can win, hai, I will try my best." her hand felt her deck, she was relieved Damien hadn't taken that from her. "And if my best isn't enough, then what will? Just give me this chance to prove myself, Ryou!" Ryou shot a look at Malik, who'd settled down to watch the match, intently. "Please." Ryou just looked down and Aurora knew she'd won this battle. She knew, deep down, this wouldn't be easy, this wouldn't be quick... but she wouldn't be a pushover this time. She had taken into account Damien's deck would be full of sneaky tricks to lead her down the wrong way, but she wasn't going to fall for it, she was going to follow her own way. She saw Damien was already ready for the duel, but she frowned.

"We're going to duel in a hotel room? Here?" She questioned.

"You did say right here, right now." Damien reminded her.

"Well excuse me for being dramatic!" Aurora snapped. Within minutes the duel was well under way.

* * *

Seto was sat at his desk when he saw Mokuba come in. He looked up at his brother and waited for him to start talking.

"Aurora went to Osaka." Mokuba told his brother.

Seto frowned, "Okay, is there anything else?" he asked.

"Jessy escaped this afternoon and everyone is looking for her." Mokuba added. Seto put his head in his hand, he had known this dog was a bad idea.

"Mokuba, if anything happens to Jessy... don't get upset, okay? These kind of things happen all the time, it's part of life." he told his brother. Who nodded and turned to go. Seto sat and thought for a while... why did he want Jessy back more than just to save Mokuba from heartbreak?


	13. The Not So Great Escape

Thanks to:

**Joshy!**: You are at my standard of writing, you're far beyond it and you just don't realise it, silly. Cheers for the review.

**Cyrus13**: Long time not see, mate, thankyou for the review.

**Fushicho Hime**: Seto? Heart? Not in the same sentence, lol. Thanks for the review.

**Mr. Towel**: Thanks for the review, I hope you update your fic soon!

**Dedicated to**: all my friends, for being my friends!

_**Last Time:**_

* * *

_"As I was saying, _Rob_, it's outragous to just kill someone for beating you in something." Ryou said, looking down at his bag. Suayo tried to relax, but every muscle in his body had to be ready for this moment. Ryou made the move he wanted, he reached for the Ring, opening the bag. Suayo moved quickly, within seconds he'd sprang into action, holding Ryou back as his other hand grabbed the Ring. Ryou fell backwards as Suayo pushed him._

* * *

_Aurora got up and walked to him then, "I'm just as good as anyone in this room, and I'll prove it, I challange you... right here, right now. You win, you can walk away with all the Millenium Items and you can taunt me for the rest of my life, I win, you hand all of the Items back to their respectful owners!"_

* * *

Aurora Samaki contrated hard as her opponent's cell phone rang.

"Ignore it," she ordered, going back to concentrating.

"Hello?" Damien Shaw asked, speaking into his cell.

"I said ignore it, when's the last time you cleaned out your ears?" Aurora snapped. "We're dueling." she reminded him.

"I ignored you instead, you make a lot more noise," Damien said, then talked back into the phone. "No, not you... yes I have the items... I'll bring them," Damien said, hanging up. "Sorry to cut your failure short but I have to go, be good and make nice with the guards," Damien joked putting his cell phone away in his pocket.

"You can't walk away from this! You can't just leave me in the middle of an important duel," Aurora said, crossing her arms, which was hard with a duel disk on.

"To me this is less than important and more of time wasting," Damien replied, he turned away and Aurora snapped. She started to make her way forward towards Damien but he turned on the spot, "let's not do that."

Aurora stood in front of the door as Damien left with the Millenium Items, leaving her, Malik and Ryou in the hotel room once again.

"That lying, cheating b-" Aurora began, but Malik hit her hard with a cushion.

"You idiotic baka!" He snapped, as he heard a car pull away from the hotel. Aurora fended off the cushion and frowned, looking around. Her eyes caught something and she smiled.

"That I may be but I'm a pro at escaping," she grinned, she was about to tie to bed sheets together and she opened the balcony door as the door handle of the room rattled and opened...

* * *

Yugi sat on the sofa as Joey flicked channels on the TV set.

"Come on Yug', enjoy Malik free time while we have it," Joey told his friend.

"We also have a Ryou free time," Yugi pointed out. Joey sighed, Yugi would never give up on believing some one could change.

"It if makes ya feel any better Yugi, I doubt they've gone far... they're in Osaka remember," Joey said, picking up some corn chips and eating them. He offered some to Yugi who politely refused.

"I just can't help thinking while we're stuck here eating corn chips and watching TV that they're stuck in Osaka somewhere," Yugi said as Joey chomped away more.

"What do you want us to do Yug'? Go to Osaka and rescue dem?" Joey snorted, turning his attention back to the TV.

"You know, Joe..." Yugi said.

"What?" Joey asked, not taking his eyes off the TV screen.

"You might just have an idea there," Yugi said, his face oddly blank.

"Right, Yug', and how are we gonna get there? Our little private jet with our little private army," Joey joked, flicking the channel once again.

"Joey, you're a genius!" Yugi exclaimed, standing up.

"Now that's a first," Joey said, then looking up at Yugi. "You seriously want to go to Osaka? Today? Now?"

"Why not Joey?" Yugi asked, thinking about the whole idea in his head, planning it out.

"Because A, we have school, and B, are you insane?" Joey asked. "We better get the Puzzle back quick, your brain's leaking out without it."

Yugi cracked a smile, "no, I'm serious, we can-" Yugi was cut off by the sound of a bark. He and Joey exchanged looks and ran down into the Turtle Game Shop. "What's going on Grandpa?" Yugi asked.

"The dog just appeared outside the shop," the man replied. Yugi and Joey looked down at the dog Aurora had previously owned.

"Jessy?" Joey asked, the dog was barking madly at Yugi, baring her teeth. "Whoa, down girl," Joey said, as the dog's hackles raised. She had never had a problem with Yugi before, why now? "Yugi, go upstairs, we'll take care of Beethoven," Joey said, reaching for Jessy's collar it snapped for him, her eyes seemed oddly bright.

"What does she want?" Yugi asked, as Teá Gardner and Tristan Taylor entered the shop.

"You found Jessy," Tristan smiled, but when he saw the dog growling his smile dropped. "Aye." He said, as the dog advanced on Yugi.

Suddenly there was a crash from outside and the windows of the Game Shop exploded as two gaint dogs growled from outside.

"These dogs cost a bomb," Joey joked weakly as Jessy turned her attention to the dogs. She launched herself at the overgrown mutated canines but was no match for their strength. Teá screamed to attract the rest of the shops occupants attention as one of the monsters grabbed Yugi. Tristan and Joey both lanched themselves at Yugi, grabbing his hands and trying to pull him off the dogs. The dog on the left hit Joey away as if he was nothing more than a ragdoll, it turned to Tristan who ducked the dog's first tail swipe but got hit on the second. As the dogs made for the broken window Teá hurled anything she could at the dogs, trying to draw their attention, it was no use. Both Joey and Tristan were out cold on the floor of the shop and Yugi was gone.

* * *

Yugi Muto awoke to icy blue eyes looking over him, his vision adjusted and he clearly saw Aurora, Ryou and Malik all standing in front of him.

"He had it bad," Aurora commented, she was holding ice to Yugi's head. "Those dogs really gave him the old one-two-three."

"What's- what's going on? Where am I?" Yugi asked, sitting up. His head was painful and his side felt like a few ribs were broken; he shouldn't of sat up so quickly.

"Welcome to your new home," Aurora told him. Yugi looked around at the hotel room, the balcony door was open and there was a rope made of bed covers on the balcony itself. "And if we don't hurry and get out of here your Millenium Puzzle's gonna go bye bye to Damien's big client."

Yugi frowned, he'd been kidnapped? Why? And by who? The last question was pretty simple to answer, Damien of course, but it still didn't explain why.

"The Scarab is gone," Yugi said, feeling his neck. Ryou held it up sadly and gave Yugi a small smile.

"Come on, I'm not playing babysitter while you guys do all the work, I'm a girl not a housewife," Aurora said, pushing past them but Malik stood in front of the balcony door.

"You'll most likely fall off the balcony and flatten yourself on the ground," he told her. "So go straight ahead and just do a neat little over-dramatic fall now and we'll all pretend to cry for you while we party."

"Quite the charmer aren't you?" Aurora asked, her arms crossed. "I don't plan on jumping off a balcony at this point in time, though I am inclined to push someone off though... I reserve the right to do that."

"Can you reserve the right to shut up and not challange anyone to a duel while we go out the room for five seconds?" Malik retorted.

"You blame me for being in here?" Aurora asked. "Please, as if I did anything, I did nothing."

"Exactly, you did _nothing_!" Malik snapped, Aurora started towards him but Ryou's look made her stop.

"You think it's my fault gaint dogs stole your Millenium Item?" Aurora snorted, looking away in disbelief and rolling her eyes.

"No, it's your fault we lost them again!" Malik reminded her. "Face the facts, you're useless at dueling."

"I don't need to listen to this," Aurora said. "Can you stop pointing the finger for one minute so we decide on how to get out of here?"

Yugi ignored the two duelists and pulled his desk out, checking that the God cards were still there. Yugi breathed a sigh of relief, obviously Damien wasn't after the God cards; It made a nice change, but it still didn't make the fact he wanted the Millenium Items go away.

"Just shut up!" Aurora said to Malik, she looked away from him to stop herself attacking him.

"Say it with me... you're a baka and you can't duel," Malik sneered, getting angry himself.

"Okay, you're a baka and you can't duel, happy?" Aurora asked.

"Can we stop it?" Ryou asked desperately. Aurora looked at him and chucked the pillow down onto the sofa, narrowly missing it and falling to the floor. Aurora just sneered at the people in the room and sat on the cushion.

"This bites," Aurora commented from her position on the floor.

"So we've established," Ryou continued, as he looked around the hotel room, "I guess there's nothing for it, we're going to have to climb down the balcony." The rooms occupants, save Aurora, exchanged looks and looked over at the balcony door, then over at Aurora as if mentally telling each other she would be going first.

* * *

Aurora looked down, worry and fear was clearly the only thing on her mind at the moment.

"Come on!" Malik snapped impatiently, almost kicking Aurora in the head. She looked up and was about to say something when she let go of the blanket rope and fell hard on the ground on her already painful back. Malik landed gracefully next to her on his feet, followed by Ryou and finally Yugi.

"So what are we going to do now?" Ryou asked, as he and Yugi helped Aurora to her feet.

"We go to the Aquariam and we get the Items back," Aurora said, conclusively.

"Well, unless you haven't noticed, we haven't got any money and we're in the middle of Osaka," Malik replied, emotionlessly. Aurora didn't reply, she just bit her lip and grinded her teeth together in a bid to remain in control.

"Okay, please, you two don't even speak to each other," Yugi chimed in. "We have to get the Items back!" Malik and Aurora both fell quiet after that, but Aurora was bubbling with rage. Malik really did dance on her very last nerve and she suspected the Duelist was a little over his head; for some reason Malik felt the same about Aurora. Ryou and Yugi could sense the mutual hate between the two and stepping in between was no option, if the two started arguing in the streets of Osaka someone would notice them, and they're plan was _not_ to be noticed.

"How do we get into the Aquariam? The place is expensive," Ryou said as they walked down an alleyway.

"We could break in," Malik suggested, but the looks from the others told him his idea went unappreciated.

"We need money and we're going to need a lot of it," Aurora said, looking at the price of a sandwich in a cafe window.

"A map would help," Yugi added, looking around as if one would jump out at them.

"What is it with you men?" Aurora asked, exasperated. "We simply _ask _for directions to the Aquariam, then we'll figure out how to get in."

"Damien's probably sold them all now," Ryou said, sadly. When Malik laughed the group looked over at him, looking confused.

"I don't think he's in a hurry, he expects us to come... he's trying to sell a complete set, but the nearest he's going to get is The Millenium Puzzle, The Millenium Rod, The Millenium Ring and obviously The Millenium Eye and The Millenium Key... he's waiting for us to turn up and he's going to get the Eye off Ryou and the Key off Yugi," Malik told them, plainly.

"Why didn't he take them before?" Aurora asked, breaking her code of silence to Malik.

"Who knows, maybe he wants to win them in a duel so his client can use it," Malik replied.

Yugi looked around, noticing a group of people congragating around a town map, Aurora followed his gaze and walked over.

"Excuse me," she asked, but they didn't take any notice, the rest of the group joined them, trying to see the somewhat mouldy map over the groups heads'.

"Excuse me," Yugi asked too, the nearest girl looked over at him and shook her her head, scoffing. Aurora lashed out, grabbing the girl and turning her round.

"You heard the dude, out the way," she said, pushing the girl out the way angerily.

"There was no need for that Aurora," Yugi said, as the girl brushed herself off and the group moved away, shooting Aurora looks.

"Wasn't there?" Aurora asked, checking the map but finding herself lost. Not being an expert at mapreading she decided to read about the city instead.

"The Aquariam's that way," Ryou told them, looking down the highstreet, it was full of cafes and was bustling with tourists and people shopping.

"We're off to see the fishes then," Aurora said, starting to walk away but the others didn't follow. "What's wrong?" she asked. "Come on, follow the brick road. We need enthusiam, we need spirit, we need confidence!" she smiled.

"We need money," Yugi added.

"We'll worry and panic when we get there, Toto, for now, let's get to the place," Aurora said, she was trying her best to be optimistic, but it definitely did not come across as her strong point. The others looked sadly at each other untill Ryou spoke up.

"She's right, Aurora is right; we need to concentrate," Ryou said, walking after Aurora, the others followed quickly after, faith restored. When Aurora started to hum under her breath Malik seemed to get annoyed, although he didn't say anything. Finally, Malik's could take it no longer.

"Shut up!" he growled, as Aurora looked over at him, a little hurt.

"Take my advice, get anger management," she asked, looking down the street, she avoided shoppers and the group constantly got split as people walked quickly without consideration of anyone else it seemed.

"Take my advice and take your own advice," Malik retorted as Yugi and Ryou winced, knowing the fighting was about to bubble up again.

* * *

"What do we do?" Teá Gardner asked, she, Joey and Tristan were all sitting in her living room, thinking carefully.

"First Ryou, then Aurora, then Malik, then Yugi... if my hunch is right the next on the missing list will be Kaiba," Tristan said, drinking a soda slowly.

"As if moneybays will listen to us, he'll just think we're insane and then he'll go get himself kidnapped," Joey replied, he too also had a soda clutched in his hand. He was applying more and more pressure to the soda can so it was was starting to be crushed in the middle. He could hardly believe he had let Yugi get kidnapped, and no matter what Teá told them he and Tristan blamed themselves for Yugi's disappearance.

"We could try, if we can convince Mokuba his brother's going to be kidnapped Mokuba can convince Seto," Teá said, getting up to get her jacket. "We better go now, those dogs probably won't waste much time before trying to take him."

"Why are we trying to save moneybags anyway?" Joey asked, not moving from the sofa. "I mean, it's not as if he'd ever return the favour if it was us," Joey calmly pointed out before draining the last of his soda.

"Because although Kaiba isn't on our Christmas list, Joey, no one deserves to be dragged off by gaint dogs," Teá said, she opened her front door only to find Ishizu Ishtar standing before her, looking worried.

Sometime later the group were all assembled in Teá's living room once again, the worry had spread from Ishizu to all of them.

"So, let us get this straight, once all the cards and Scarabs are placed in the seal something big, that happened five thousand years ago, will return?" Joey asked, his face paling at the very words. Ishizu nodded sadly and Teá sighed, they'd need their own miniature army to fight those dogs off.

"I think I know what Yug' was going on about before he was taken," Joey said. "I said private jet and he seemed to think the idea might work... who's the only guy we know to have a private jet around here? One at his dispense at any hour of the day?" Joey looked around the people in the room proudly, he somehow knew what Yugi's idea had been now.

"You're going to ask Kaiba to lend his jet to us?" Tristan asked, looking like he was going to laugh. "Yeah, I can see it now 'I know we hate each other Kaiba and I know we've never got along, but can we borrow your expensive private jet?'." Joey knew the idea seemed more than a little absurd but on some level he had the feeling Kaiba wouldn't refuse if they offered him something in return, perhaps another rematch with Yugi.

"We have to try, think of all the things and people at stake, the Millenium Items, Yugi, Ryou, Aurora..." Joey said, thinking carefully.

"My brother," Ishizu added.

"The other Yugi," Teá also said.

"The world?" Tristan said, feeling worried once again.

"Now that's a new notion," Joey said as he jumped to his feet.

* * *

Yugi was sat on a bench as a shadow fell over him, he looked up into the face of Suayo Katayen, the boys light green hair shining in the sunlight. The boy opened his mouth to say something when someone else strode over beside him, and without warning Aurora had punched him square in the face. He staggered but showed no pain, it was if he couldn't even feel the punch. Suayo wiped blood from his jaw and looked at his hand, as if observing a rather intresting artifact rather than his own blood.

"Hello to you too," Suayo said, as Yugi frowned.

"You've met?" he asked, looking between the two worriedly, Aurora looked extremely mad and Suayo... Suayo didn't show any emotion what-so-ever.

"Oh we've met alright," Aurora growled, she made foward to hit the boy again but Yugi jumped up, stopping her. Aurora had been checking out another map as Yugi had been sitting on the bench, she had seen Suayo come over and her anger had gotten the best of her. "This is the guy that lost you your Millenium Puzzle, Yugi; let me punch him," Aurora snapped. The truth was her knuckles hurt but all she wanted was to vent her frustration on Suayo.

"I did not 'lose it', if I remember correctly you were the one that lost Yugi his Millenium Puzzle..." Suayo looked around to make sure no one was listening. "I've come here to take you to Damien... I hate to see the man get his own way after bossing about his workers so hard, I'd love to see that smirk wiped off his face."

Ryou joined the group, he had a bottle of water in his hand and when he saw Suayo he too looked angry.

"It's okay Ryou, he isn't going to attack us," Yugi told him. Ryou looked, if possible, more angry that Suayo was talking to Yugi as if the whole incident was nothing at all.

"Don't listen to him Yugi, he's a liar," Ryou told him, as sternly as he could possible muster.

"Not to meantion a thieving, lying, horrible piece of scum," Aurora cut in as Malik watched her direct her anger elsewhere in amusement.

"I don't need an introduction, thankyou," Suayo said coolly. "I am a hundred percent truthful here, I am promising to take you to Damien and getting your Millenium Items back, you should be thanking me and-"

"We know you want something so push off," Aurora snapped, she grabbed the glass bottle fromn Ryou's hand and raised it, but before she could do anything a hand had stopped her. Malik. "You crazy little... What is wrong with you?" Aurora asked, pulling her hand from him as Ryou took back his water.

"What is wrong with you more like? Are you sure I'm the crazed one here?" Malik asked. "You can't bottle a guy on the streets, you should know that."

"I wasn't going to bottle him as such, just shove it down his throat," Aurora growled, she looked truely agitated as she tried to hold her anger back.

Yugi looked between the four now, seeing an obvious conflict; where Malik wanted to trust Suayo Ryou didn't want to have anything to do with him, as for Aurora... she wanted to bottle him. Yugi sighed heavily as Malik and Aurora started to snap at each other again and Ryou and Suayo watched in almost amusement, neither wanting to come inbetween.

"Okay, stop it," Yugi said finally, he wondered if he had done the right thing as Aurora shot him a look, then brust into laughter.

"I'm sorry, I was taking my anger out on someone not worthy of it; I don't want to waste my breath on low life scum," Aurora snapped, Yugi put his hand to his forehead and shook his head slowly as the fight erupted again.

"Shut up and listen!" Suayo said, the two were instantly quiet, looking angerily at Suayo. "If we don't hurry up the Items are going to be sold and you're never going to see them again. Stop your squabbling like an old married couple and listen, and listen good. I will take you to Damien and you will be thankful, you will get the Items back and you won't say a word of how I helped you get in, deal?"

Aurora looked shocked into silence, she hadn't expected such an emotionless boy to have so much rage built up inside of him, more out of awe than fear she nodded slowly, agreeing absently. Malik just sneered over at Suayo as Yugi sighed with relief, although Ryou still looked unsure.

"If you decieve us again..." Ryou began, but Suayo laughed loudly.

"If I wanted to decieve you I would just get the Eye and Key off you now, I'm not one to hang about, I'm not reknown for my patience," Suayo replied, he turned around and started to walk towards the end of the street. The group exchanged looks and sighed, following him even though they doubted him.

"If anything happens, this is your fault!" Aurora said, pointing to Malik before he turned to her.

"Shut up, _dear_," he growled back, obviously he had taken the married couple comment a little too personally.


End file.
